Fort Smith Artillery
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 1st Arkansas Light Artillery, originally known as the Fort Smith Artillery (1861), was an
artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
of the
Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
that served during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. The unit was actually a pre-war volunteer militia company which was activated as part of the Arkansas State Troops and mustered out of state service following the
Battle of Wilson's Creek The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, Springfield, Missou ...
. The unit immediately re-organized and re-enlisted for Confederate service. The unit spent the majority of the war in the western theater, fighting as part of the Confederate
Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...
. The unit is also known as Reid's Battery, Provence's Battery, Humphreys' Battery and finally Rivers' Battery.


Organization

Captain John G. Reid was elected as commander of a volunteer militia company of the 51st Militia Regiment, Sebastian County, Arkansas, on September 27, 1860. The battery was originally identified simply as the "Independent Artillery" but was later styled the "Fort Smith Battery" or the "Fort Smith Artillery". Commissions were issued to the following officers on October 2, 1860:Arkansas Military Department Records, Spanish American War, List of Commissioned Officers of the Militia 1827–1862, Arkansas History Commission, Microfilm Roll 38-8, page 409 *Captain John G. Reid *First Lieutenant William M Hightower *Second Lieutenant Marcus S. Wilcox. *Third Lieutenant Archabald Freeman. The unit was inducted into state service for 90 days' service as part of Brigadier General
Nicholas Bartlett Pearce Nicholas Bartlett Pearce (commonly known as N. Bart Pearce) (July 20, 1828 – March 8, 1894) was a brigadier general in the Arkansas State Troops during the American Civil War. He led a brigade of infantry in one of the war's earliest battles in ...
's 1st Division (brigade), Army of Arkansas, in June 1861.Howerton, Bryan R, "Reid's Battery", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 26 March 2003, Accessed, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?noframes;read=3662 The battery officers at the time of entry into state service were: *Captain John G. Reid. *First Lieutenant nknown *Second Lieutenant Marcus S. Wilcox. *Third Lieutenant James H. Reed. The Fort Smith Battery was well drilled. Captain William E. Woodruff, Jr., who commanded the
Pulaski Light Artillery The 3rd Arkansas Field Battery (1860–1865) was a Confederate Army artillery battery from Pulaski County, Arkansas, during the American Civil War. The battery is also known as the Totten Light Artillery, Pulaski Light Artillery, the Weaver Lig ...
, is said to have watched the drill of Captain Reid's Battery in order to recall the correct procedures for artillery drill. In keeping with the practice in the Confederate Army of referring to an artillery battery by the name of its current commander, the First Arkansas Light Artillery was variously known as Provence's Battery, Humphreys' Battery and Rivers' Battery. The Compiled Service Records of the men are filed under "Rivers' Battery" on Microfilm Roll #41.Howerton, Bryan R. "First Arkansas Light Artillery (Rivers' Battery)", Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, Accessed 2 November 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/1starty.html Two of the guns belonging to the battery were themselves somewhat famous. During the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
, Captain Braxton Bragg had commanded a battery of 6 pounder howitzers. While the battery was under heavy fire during the Battle of Buena Vista, on February 23, 1847, General
Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
road up to Captain Bragg's guns. When Bragg asked the General what he should do, the general allegedly replied, "A little more grape, Captain Bragg." This event first raised the young captain to national prominence. The very guns were lying in the Little Rock Arsenal when it was seized by the Arkansas State Militia before the state seceded. Two of the guns were issued to the Crawford Artillery, a battery organized in Crawford County by James T. Stewart. The Crawford Artillery was eventually converted to infantry, and two of Bragg's guns were passed to the Fort Smith Artillery.


Service


Wilson's Creek

The ninth day of August, 1861, found the Fort Smith Artillery, camped on Wilson's Creek, ten miles south of Springfield, in south-west Missouri, assigned to the 1st Division (Brigade) of the Provisional Army of Arkansas (State Troops) commanded by State Brigadier General Nicholas B. Pearce. Pearce's Division, comprised one part of the Southern force under the overall command of Confederate Brigadier General
Benjamin McCulloch Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...
. The other two components of the Southern force were McCulloch's own Western Army, consisting one Louisiana regiment, one Texas regiment, two Arkansas regiments and one battalion of Arkansas Confederate Troops, and Major General Sterling Price's
Missouri State Guard The Missouri State Guard (MSG) was a military force established by the Missouri General Assembly on May 11, 1861. While not a formation of the Confederate States Army, the Missouri State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at various ...
. When notified of the approach of General
Nathaniel Lyon Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of th ...
's Union force, General Pearce stationed the Ried's battery "on an eminence to command the approaches to our right and rear, and gave him the 5th Arkansas Infantry (Colonel T.P. Dockery) as a support." When Union General Sigel commanding the union left column of the advance from Springfield, came upon Pearce's right and established a battery, Pearce directed Reid's battery to engage. Reid succeeded in getting his range accurately, so that his shot proved very effective." Following the battle, Brigadier General Pearce Arkansas State Troops returned to northwest Arkansas and voted to be mustered out of service rather than being transferred to Confederate Service. The battery was mustered out of State service on September 17, 1861, and all of its members were discharged.


Reorganized

The battery reorganized after Wilson's Creek, but Captain Reid did not stand for re-election, having accepted a staff position. The battery elected David Provence as captain on September 17, 1861. On March 7 and 8, 1862, during the Battle of Pea Ridge, the battery was assigned to Major General
Benjamin McCulloch Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...
's Division of Major General
Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) started his military career as a United States Army officer but joined Confederate forces in 1861 after the Civil War broke out. He was a major general when he was killed in a private conflict. A g ...
's Army of the West. Following the Confederate defeat at Pea Ridge, Van Dorn's Army retreated first to Van Buren and then moved east before boarding river boats and beginning a move to link up with Confederate forces massing near Corinth Mississippi. The Fort Smith Battery was sent east of the Mississippi River and served there for the rest of the war. Captain Reid would later command yet another battery during the Battle of Prairie Grove, but that organization bore no relation to the Fort Smith Battery. Captain David Provence was elected commander of the re-organized battery. Most of the men originally assigned to the Fort Smith Artillery subsequently reenlisted in Confederate service in Provence's Arkansas Battery (1st Arkansas Light Artillery). The battery retained the name and battery colors of the Fort Smith Artillery, but it was officially referred to as Provence's, and later Rivers', Battery Arkansas Light Artillery. A comparison of enlistment documents between the two units indicates that about three fourths of the original Fort Smith Artillery Battery continued to serve with the battery in Confederate service. The officers elected when the battery reorganized were: *Captain David Provence. *First Lieutenant Stephen D. McDonald. *Second Lieutenant John T. Humphreys. *Third Lieutenant William H. Gore.


Battle of Pea Ridge

The battery fought at the
Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place in the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south ...
(Elkhorn Tavern), Arkansas, in March 1862. The battery was assigned to Brigadier General
Benjamin McCulloch Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...
's Division of Major General
Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) started his military career as a United States Army officer but joined Confederate forces in 1861 after the Civil War broke out. He was a major general when he was killed in a private conflict. A g ...
's Army of the West. Following the Confederate defeat at Pea Ridge, the army reconsolidated at
Van Buren, Arkansas Van Buren ( ) is the second-largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstat ...
, The battery was assigned to an artillery brigade commanded by Brigadier General D.M. Frost.


East of the Mississippi River

Then marched overland to Des Arc where the army was transported by steamboat to Memphis in an attempt to unite the Army of the West with the Confederate
Army of Mississippi There were three formations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. This name is contrasted against Army of the Mississippi, Army of ''the'' Mississippi, which was a Union Army named for the ...
to attack Grant at
Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee Pittsburg Landing is a river landing on the west bank of the Tennessee River in Hardin County, Tennessee. It was named for "Pitts" Tucker who operated a tavern at the site in the years preceding the Civil War. It is located at latitude 35.15222 ...
, but arrived too late for the
Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought on April 6–7, 1862, in the American Civil War. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater. The battlefield i ...
. The battery would spend the rest of the war east of the Mississippi River. In April and May 1862, Confederate forces underwent an army-wide reorganization due to the passage of the Conscription Act by the Confederate Congress in April 1862. All twelve-month regiments and units had to re-muster and enlist for two additional years or the duration of the war; a new election of officers was ordered; and men who were exempted from service by age or other reasons under the Conscription Act were allowed to take a discharge and go home. Officers who did not choose to stand for re-election were also offered a discharge. The reorganization was accomplished among all the Arkansas regiments and unit in and around Corinth, Mississippi, following the Battle of Shiloh.Rushing, Anthony
"Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board"
Retrieved January 31, 2011.
Provence's Battery re-organized on April 10, 1862, and the following officers were elected: *Captain David Provence, *First Lieutenant John T. Humphreys, *Second Lieutenant William H. Gore. *Third Lieutenant Oliver Perry Richardson, The battery participated in the
Battle of Farmington, Mississippi The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...
, on May 9, 1862. During this engagement, Captain William Hart, of the Dallas Artillery, served one of Provence's guns as a gunner, Hart's Battery having been ordered disbanded following a poor performance at the Battle of Pea Ridge. Shortly afterward, Captain David Provence resigned to accept an appointment as colonel, 16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. His resignation was formally approved on June 10, 1862, at which time Lieutenant John T. Humphreys was promoted to captain. The following officers were appointed on July 13, 1862: *Captain John T. Humphreys, *First Lieutenant John W. Rivers, *Second Lieutenant Oliver Perry Richardson. *Third lieutenant Henry Clay Riggin, When Lieutenant General Braxton Bragg issued his organization of the Confederate Army of the Mississippi, on June 30, 1862, Provence's Battery, now commanded by Humphrey's was assigned to Brigadier General Thomas J. Churchill's 2nd Brigade of Major General J.P. McCown's 2nd Division of the Confederate Army of the West. During the
Kentucky Campaign The Confederate Heartland Offensive (August 14 – October 10, 1862), also known as the Kentucky Campaign, was an American Civil War campaign conducted by the Confederate States Army in Tennessee and Kentucky where Generals Braxton Bragg and ...
of 1862, the battery was assigned to Colonel
Evander McNair Evander McNair (April 15, 1820 – November 13, 1902) was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Early life Evander McNair was born at Laurel Hill in Scotland County, North Carolina. His parents moved t ...
's 2nd Brigade, of Brigadier General Thomas James Churchill's 3rd Division of
Edmund Kirby Smith General Edmund Kirby Smith (May 16, 1824March 28, 1893) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded the Trans-Mississippi Department (comprising Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, western Louisiana, Arizona Territory and the Indi ...
's Confederate Army of Kentucky. The battery participated in the
Battle of Richmond The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, fought August 29–30, 1862, was one of the most complete Confederate victories in the war by Major General Edmund Kirby Smith against Union major general William "Bull" Nelson's forces, which were defending th ...
, Kentucky, on August 29–30, 1862. On November 18, 1862, the battery received a large number of transfers and details from the Arkansas regiments and battalions of McNair's Brigade. Many of these men are later listed on the battery's rolls as deserters; however, many, if not most of them simply returned to their original regiments.


Stones River

During the Stones River Campaign, the battery was assigned to Brigadier General Evander McNair's 3rd Brigade of Major General J.P. McCown's Division of Lieutenant General William Hardee's Corps of the Army of Tennessee. Captain John T. Humphreys described the roll played by the battery in the
Battle of Stone's River The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Ame ...
: According to the consolidated casualty report for the Battle of Stones River, the battery suffered six wounded, including one officer and five enlisted men. However, according to the report of Captain Humphreys, the battery suffered eight wounded.United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 20, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1887; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154629/m1/966/?q=Humphreys Arkansas Battery : accessed February 07, 2014), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department, Denton, Texas.


Tullahoma Campaign

After the Battle of Stones River, the Confederate Army of Tennessee occupied strong defensive position near Tullahoma Tennessee. On January 31, 1863, and again February 28, 1863, the battery in included in the abstract of the tri-monthly return of Major General John P. Smith's 2nd Division of Smith's Corps, Army of Tennessee, and had a total of four officers and 103 enlisted men present for duty. The battery was assigned to Brigadier General R. W. Harper's 3rd Brigade of Smith's Division. In a May 19, 1863, report on the artillery of Lieutenant General Polk's army corps, Humphreys battery is listed as having two 6-pounder guns, two 12-pounder howitzers, and 64 horses, 14 of which were deemed unserviceable. On the June 10, 1863, abstract of the return of the Army of Tennessee, a note indicates that Humphreys Arkansas Battery has been transferred to Lieutenant General William E. Hardee's Corps of the Army of Tennessee. The Tullahoma Campaign was fought between June 24 and July 3, 1863. The
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...
, commanded by
Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
William Rosecrans William Starke Rosecrans (September 6, 1819March 11, 1898) was an American inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and U.S. Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War. He was t ...
, outmaneuvered the
Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...
, commanded by
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Braxton Bragg Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Weste ...
, from a strong defensive position, driving the Confederates from
Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the U.S. state of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the s ...
and threatening
Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
. Stewarts Division, to which Humphreys Arkansas Battery was assigned, defended Hover Gap, but the battery was not engaged in the June 23, 1863,
Battle of Hoover's Gap The Battle of Hoover's Gap (24 June 1863) was the principal battle in the Tullahoma Campaign of the American Civil War, in which Union General William S. Rosecrans drove General Braxton Bragg’s Confederates out of Central Tennessee. Rosecrans ...
. By July 31, 1863, Lieutenant General D.H. Hill had replaced Lieutenant General Hardee as commander and Humphreys battery had been assigned to brigadier General H.D. Clayton's Brigade of Major General Alexander P. Stewarts Division.


Chickamauga Campaign

During the Chickamauga Campaign of 1863 the battery was assigned to Major John W. Eldridge's Artillery Battalion of Major General
Alexander P. Stewart Alexander Peter Stewart (October 2, 1821 – August 30, 1908) was a career United States Army officer, college professor, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He fought in many of the most significant bat ...
's Division of Major General
Simon Bolivar Buckner, Sr. Simon Bolivar Buckner ( ; April 1, 1823 – January 8, 1914) was an American soldier, Confederate combatant, and politician. He fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War. He later fought in the Confederate States Army ...
's Corps of General
Braxton Bragg Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Weste ...
's Confederate Army of Tennessee. During the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863, the battery supported Clayton's Brigade of Alexander's Division. The battery had two of its guns disabled by enemy
counter-battery fire Counter-battery fire (sometimes called counter-fire) is a battlefield tactic employed to defeat the enemy's indirect fire elements (multiple rocket launchers, artillery and mortars), including their target acquisition, as well as their command an ...
. The battery had two killed and one wounded. It managed to save all of its guns but lost twelve of the battery horses. Following the
Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between United States, U.S. and Confederate States of America, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union Army, Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign ...
, Captain Humphreys resigned on October 15, 1863. Lieutenant John W. Rivers, who had risen from the ranks, was promoted captain, effective October 15, 1863, and commanded the battery to the end of the war.


Chattanooga Campaign

During the Siege of Chattanooga, in October and November 1863, the battery was assigned to Captain Henery C. Steeple's Artillery Battalion of A.P. Stewart's Division of Major General John C. Breckinridge's Corps, stationed on
Missionary Ridge Missionary Ridge is a geographic feature in Chattanooga, Tennessee, site of the Battle of Missionary Ridge, a battle in the American Civil War, fought on November 25, 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, a ...
.United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 31, In Three Parts. Part 2, Reports., Book, 1891; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152589/m1/670/?q=Humphreys : accessed February 07, 2014), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department, Denton, Texas. Captain Humphreys resigned on October 15, 1863. Lieutenant John W. Rivers, who had risen from the ranks, was promoted captain, effective October 15, 1863. The battery continued to be referred to as Humphreys battery in some reports. As events developed during the
Battle of Missionary Ridge The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought on November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces in the Military Division of ...
on November day, General Stewart received a flurry of orders to move his division back and forth across Missionary Ridge. About 2:00 p.m. Stewart was told to move his division toward the right, and during this movement, his Corps Commander General Breckinridge asked for a brigade and a battery to make a "reconnaissance towards Rossville" Stewart dispatch Holtclaw with Clayton's Brigade, along with the 1st Arkansas Battery under aptainJohn W. Rivers. The temporary commander of the division's artillery battalion, Captain T. J. Stanford, had accompanied Breckinridge, Holtzclaw and the Army of Tennessee's Chief of Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel James H. Hallonquist, on this reconnaissance south of the ridge with Rivers' Arkansas Battery. Upon reaching a point where it became impracticable to take the battery any further south, Stanford directed 1st Arkansas Battery to deploy about 600 yards to the left of the end of Brigadier General Marcellus A. Stovall's brigade "to impeded a flanking movement." Rivers apparently fired on Union Brigadier General John Geary's division of the XII Army Corps for some time until the Federals gained the top of the ridge between the battery' s position and Stovall, necessitation the battery's removal. Union Brigadier General Peter J. Osterhaus' men of XVII Army Corps, had breached the confederate line and were moving north up the east side of the ridge. Osterhuau's men fired on the battery as it retreated, causing it to lose one gun.Elliott, Sam Davis. Soldier of Tennessee General Alexander P. Stewart and the Civil War in the West. Baton Rouge, La: Louisiana State University Press, 1999, page 154. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=45701


Atlanta Campaign

After the battles outside of Chattanooga, the artillery of the Army of Tennessee was greatly depleted in guns, ammunition and horses. The army withdrew to winterquarters near Dalton Georgia, where the temporary commander, Lieutenant General William Hardee attempted to rebuild the wreckage of the army. On December 6, 1863, five of the hardest hit batteries, Scogins, Massenburg's, Waters, Baxters and Rivers Batteries were stripped of their remaining horses and assigned to garrison duty at Atlanta. On February 16, 1864, Captain Rivers signed a voucher for clothing received at Dalton Georgia, including 75 Jackets and 75 Pants. The battery muster roll for March and April 1864 show the unit's station as Atlanta Georgia, and the comments on the roll state "the battery has been stationed at this place since last mustered the men have been sober and soldierly in their conduct."
Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
William T. Sherman William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
invaded Georgia from the vicinity of
Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
, beginning in May 1864, opposed by the
Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
general
Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia seceded ...
. Johnston's
Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...
withdrew toward Atlanta in the face of successive flanking maneuvers by Sherman's group of armies. In July, the Confederate president replaced Johnston with the more aggressive
John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the dec ...
, who began challenging the Union Army in a series of damaging frontal assaults. Atlanta was ringed with formidable earthworks, including which were armed with an array of guns including 6 and 12 pounder howitzers, Wiard rifles, 24 pounder rifles and several other heavy cannon brought north from the defenses at Mobile. These guns on Atlanta's perimeter were manned by a collection of six depleted batteries from the Army of Tennessee, including Rivers' Arkansas Battery. These batteries were placed under the command of the Georgia militia.Daniels, Larry. Cannoneers in Gray: The Field Artillery of the Army of Tennessee, 1861-1865. (Tuscaloosa, AL: Fire Ant Books, 2005), page 168. Captain Rivers signed a requisition for fuel, 1st Arkansas Battery stationed at Atlanta Georgia, May 1864, and the battery strength was reported as 3 officers, 67 enlisted men.Content Source: The National Archives, Publication Number: M317, Publication Title: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Arkansas, Content Source: NARA, National Archives Catalog ID: 586957, National Archives Catalog Title: Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Confederate Organizations , compiled 1903 - 1927, documenting the period 1861 – 1865, Record Group: 109, State: Arkansas, Short Description: NARA M317. Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from Arkansas units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier. Roll: 0041, Military Unit: Pine Bluff Artillery AND River's Battery, Light Artillery, Givenname: John W, Surname: Rivers, Age: Year: 1862 Accessed 10 February 2014, http://www.fold3.com/image/199612242/?terms=Rivers#199612242/ Hood's army was eventually besieged in Atlanta and the city fell on September 2, setting the stage for
Sherman's March to the Sea Sherman's March to the Sea (also known as the Savannah campaign or simply Sherman's March) was a military campaign of the American Civil War conducted through Georgia from November 15 until December 21, 1864, by William Tecumseh Sherman, major ...
and hastening the end of the war.Luvaas, Jay, and Harold W. Nelson, eds. Guide to the Atlanta Campaign: Rocky Face Ridge to Kennesaw Mountain. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2008. . Two members of Rivers battery were either capture or took the opportunity of the fall of the City of Atlanta to desert. Private Francis M. Brewer is recorded as being captured on September 2, 1864, at Atlanta and subsequently took the oath of allegiance to the Union and was released from prison camp at Camp Douglas, Illinois. Private John O. Brewer was listed as captured on September 3, 1864, at Atlanta and subsequently enlisted in the Union Army.


Savannah Campaign

General William Tecumseh Sherman, victorious in the lengthy Atlanta Campaign, had refitted his army and recently departed from
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
on a march designed to reach the Atlantic Coast at
Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...
. The right wing of Sherman's force was the
Army of the Tennessee An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
, commanded by
Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Oliver O. Howard Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard lost his right arm while leading his men against ...
. Union
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
under Brig. Gen.
Judson Kilpatrick Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (January 14, 1836 – December 4, 1881) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of brevet major general. He was later the United States Minister to Chile and an unsuccessful cand ...
was ordered to threaten Macon in order to screen the movements of Howard's column. By demonstrating against Macon, Kilpatrick and his cavalry were able to pin down a significant number of Confederate troops in the city. Unable and unwilling to leave the important industrial city undefended, Southern commanders were prevented from moving aggressively against General Sherman's main columns. This prevented them from attacking and harassing his main columns during the early stages of the March to the Sea when his units were strung out and his supply trains were vulnerable.Cox, Dale
"Battle of Walnut Creek - Macon, Georgia"
ExploreSouthernHistory.com, Accessed 10 February 2014
The Battle of Walnut Creek, or Second Battle of Dunlap Farm as it is also known, developed when Kilpatrick was ordered to sweep in close to Macon to screen the movements of Sherman's right column, which was starting its turn to the east after appearing to threaten Macon. Kilpatrick's forces threatening Macon included the 10th Ohio Cavalry, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, 92nd Illinois Mounted Infantry, and the 10th Wisconsin Battery. The Confederate defenders at Macon included, among others, the 1st and 2nd Convalescent Regiments, from the hospital located there. General Howell Cobb, who commanded the Confederates in Macon, was blessed with an abundance of artillery, totaling 39 guns. The defense was lucky to have several battalions of artillery, known as the Reserve Artillery, Army of Tennessee, which were left by General Hood when he began his invasion of Tennessee after the fall of Atlanta. The entire Reserve Artillery was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Hallonquist. This force included the reserved artillery battalions of Waddell, Martian, and Palmer. Waddell's men had a full complement of ammunition for their guns, but not horses to pull them. Palmer's force had both ammunition and horses, while Martians battalion had a full complement of ammunition, but no horses; as a result most of the artilleryman fought as infantry. The artillery units included troops from Curry's, Bellany's, Guist's, Howell's, Plamers, Rivers, and Captain Edmund D. Baxter's Light Artillery Companies, deployed as infantry. These men were commanded by Captain Albrough. The batteries of Rivers and Prichard were consolidated and the consolidated unit manned four twelve-pounder howitzers. Rivers' guns responded to an attack by at 3:30 p.m. by the Beebe's Battery. Confederate forces brought at least nine cannon into action, some of them firing from the heights at Fort Hawkins, Cobb's forces pounded the Federals on Dunlap's Hill. Confederate reinforcements poured to the front. As fighting swirled around Dunlap's Hill, so named because it was part of the Dunlap Farm and the location of the Dunlap house, Kilpatrick launched a second attack against the Central of Georgia railroad trestle over Walnut Creek. This advance was quickly blunted by Confederate defenders. As a Confederate counterattack retook the guns on the crest of Dunlap's Hill, Kilpatrick decided that he had accomplished his mission and began to fall back. Confederate cavalry under General Joseph Wheeler was now on the field and shadowed the Union withdrawal. The battery's muster rolls show that they remained on station a Macon Georgia through at least December 1864. Captain Rivers was still signing requisitions at Macon, Georgia, through April 20, 1865.


Battles

The 1st Arkansas Light Artillery was involved in the following battles: *
Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place in the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south ...
, Arkansas, March 7, 1862. *
Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...
, Mississippi, April to June 1862. * Battle of Farmington, May 9, 1862. *
Kentucky Campaign The Confederate Heartland Offensive (August 14 – October 10, 1862), also known as the Kentucky Campaign, was an American Civil War campaign conducted by the Confederate States Army in Tennessee and Kentucky where Generals Braxton Bragg and ...
**
Battle of Richmond The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, fought August 29–30, 1862, was one of the most complete Confederate victories in the war by Major General Edmund Kirby Smith against Union major general William "Bull" Nelson's forces, which were defending th ...
, Kentucky, August 29–30, 1862. *
Stones River Campaign The Stones River Campaign of the American Civil War lasted from November 1862 to January 1863. The campaign was tactically a draw but was a strategic Union victory due to the Confederate retreat after the Battle of Stones River. 1862 in Tenn ...
**
Battle of Murfreesboro The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Ame ...
, Tennessee, December 31, 1862, to January 3, 1863. * Chickamauga Campaign **
Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between United States, U.S. and Confederate States of America, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union Army, Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign ...
, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863. * Chattanooga Campaign, September to November 1863. **
Battle of Missionary Ridge The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought on November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces in the Military Division of ...
, Tennessee, November 25, 1863. * Atlanta Campaign ** Siege of Atlanta, Georgia, May 4, 1864, to September 2, 1864 *
Savannah Campaign Sherman's March to the Sea (also known as the Savannah campaign or simply Sherman's March) was a military campaign of the American Civil War conducted through Georgia from November 15 until December 21, 1864, by William Tecumseh Sherman, major ...
**
Second Battle of Dunlap Farm The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds each ...
, Georgia, November 20, 1864. In accordance with Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General's Office Order Number 131, Private John Campbell of the battery was recognized for courage and good conduct on the field for the Battle of Murfreesboro


Surrender

Confederate forces at Macon, Georgia, including the 1st Arkansas Light Artillery and Key's Arkansas Battery were surrendered on April 20, 1865, by Confederate General Thomas Howell Cobb to Union Brigadier General
James Harrison Wilson James Harrison Wilson (September 2, 1837 – February 23, 1925) was a United States Army topographic engineer and a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War. He served as an aide to Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan during the Maryland Cam ...
. Some historians have incorrectly reported that the 1st Arkansas Light Artillery was merged with Green's Kentucky Battery, Co. B, 2nd Alabama Light Artillery Battalion and Cobb's Kentucky Battery in January, 1864 and later surrendered by Lieutenant General Richard Taylor, Commanding the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana, at Citronelle, Alabama, on May 4, 1865. Hutchinson, Dennis: "Cobb's Kentucky Battery", Accessed 4 November 2011, http://www.psci.net/hutch/cobb.html , however research indicates that it was Hart's Arkansas Battery, not Humphreys/Rivers battery that was merged with Cobb's Kentucky battery in January 1864. United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 32, In Three Parts. Part 3, Correspondence, etc., Book, 1891; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152650/m1/712/?q=hart : accessed February 08, 2014), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department, Denton,


See also

*
List of Arkansas Civil War Confederate units This is a list of Arkansas Civil War Confederate Units, or military units from the state of Arkansas which fought for the Confederacy in the American Civil War. The list of Union units is shown separately. Like most states, Arkansas possessed ...
*
Arkansas in the American Civil War During the American Civil War, Arkansas was a Confederate state, though it had initially voted to remain in the Union. Following the capture of Fort Sumter in April 1861, Abraham Lincoln called for troops from every Union state to put down t ...
*
Arkansas Militia in the Civil War The units of the Arkansas Militia in the Civil War to which the current Arkansas National Guard has a connection include the Arkansas State Militia, Home Guard, and State Troop regiments raised by the State of Arkansas. Like most of the United ...


Notes


References

* Cozzens, Peter. The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994 * Daniels, Larry. Cannoneers in Gray: The Field Artillery of the Army of Tennessee, 1861-1865. (Tuscaloosa, AL: Fire Ant Books, 2005). * Oldham, K., Clayton, P., Conway, E. N., Flanagin, H., Murphy, I., Rector, H. M., & Arkansas. (1860). Kie Oldham papers. * Piston, W. G., & Hatcher, R. W. (2000). Wilson's Creek: The second battle of the Civil War and the men who fought it. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. * Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, * Sword, Wiley. Mountains Touched with Fire: Chattanooga Besieged, 1863. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995 * Upton, E., Sanger, J. P., Beach, W. D., & Rhodes, C. D. (1916). The military policy of the United States. Washington: Govt. Print. Off. * United States. (1961). Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Arkansas. Washington D.C.: National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. * U.S. War Department
''The War of the Rebellion''
''a Compilation of the
Official Records The ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion'', commonly known as the ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'' or Official Records (OR or ORs), is the most extensive collection of Americ ...
of the Union and Confederate Armies'', U.S. Government Printing Office, 1880–1901.


External links


Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home PageThe Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110718122909/http://arkansascivilwar.com/ The Arkansas History Commission, State Archives, Civil War in Arkansas {{American Civil War, expanded=CTCBS Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Arkansas 1865 disestablishments in Arkansas Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Military units and formations in Arkansas Military in Arkansas 1860 establishments in Arkansas Artillery units and formations of the American Civil War