Harris's Missouri Battery (officially known as the 4th Missouri Field Battery) was an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to f ...

that served in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The battery was organized in early 1864 when the 13th Missouri Light Battery was reorganized in a process that may not have been officially approved;

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Samuel Stanhope Harris commanded the new unit. The battery fought in the

Camden Expedition The Camden Expedition (March 23 – May 3, 1864) was the final Military campaign, campaign conducted by the Union Army in south Arkansas during the American Civil War, Civil War. The Offensive (military), offensive was designed to cooperate w ...

in early 1864, seeing action in the

Battle of Prairie D'Ane The Battle of Prairie D'Ane (April 9 – 13, 1864), also known as the Skirmish at Prairie D'Ane, Battle of Gum Springs, or Battle of Moscow, was fought in present-day Nevada County, Arkansas, as part of the Camden Expedition, during the American ...

and the

Battle of Poison Spring The Battle of Poison Spring, also known as the Poison Spring massacre, was fought in Ouachita County, Arkansas, on April 18, 1864, as part of the Camden Expedition, during the American Civil War. A Union (American Civil War), Union force comma ...

in April. In June, the battery was present at the

Battle of Ditch Bayou The Battle of Old River Lake, also known as Ditch Bayou, Furlough, and Fish Bayou, was a small skirmish between U.S. Army troops and Confederate States of America, Confederate troops from June 5 to June 6, 1864, during the American Civil War. A Un ...

. Harris's Battery accompanied

Sterling Price Sterling Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an American politician and military officer who was a senior General officers in the Confederate States Army, officer of the Confederate States Army, fighting in both the Weste ...

during his raid into Missouri in late 1864, during which it fought at the battles of Pilot Knob,

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, Little Blue River, Big Blue River, and Mine Creek, as well as several smaller skirmishes. At Mine Creek, the battery's cannons were captured. On May 26, 1865, the battery surrendered; the men of the battery were

paroled Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole of ...

Service history

Organization and the Camden Expedition

The origins of Harris's Battery date to early 1864, when the 13th Missouri Light Battery underwent a reorganization that may not have been officially sanctioned.

Daniel B. Griswold was replaced as commander of the battery by Captain Samuel Stanhope Harris when the battery was reorganized; the reasons for the change in command are unknown.

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Edmund Kirby Smith Edmund Kirby Smith (May 16, 1824March 28, 1893) was a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate States Army Four-star rank, general, who oversaw the Trans-Mississippi Department (comprising Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, western L ...

, commander of the department in which the battery served, questioned the change in command and reorganization, but Harris retained command of the battery. After the reorganization, the battery served in the brigade of Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke and was armed with four 6-pounder smoothbore cannons. When Major General

Frederick Steele Major General Frederick Steele (January 14, 1819 – January 12, 1868) was an American military officer who served in the Army in the Mexican-American War, Yuma War, and American Civil War. He is most noted for capturing the Arkansas state capi ...

of the Union Army began the

in the spring of 1864 to support the Red River Campaign, Harris's Battery was part of the Confederate force sent to confront Steele. On April 10, during the

, Harris's Battery, along with Collins' Missouri Battery, participated in an artillery duel with three Union batteries: the

Springfield Illinois Light Artillery The Springfield Illinois Light Artillery, also known as Vaughn's Independent Illinois Battery or Battery A, 3rd Illinois Light Artillery, was an artillery battery from Illinois that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Organize ...

, Battery E, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery, and Voegele's Wisconsin Battery. The firefight began around 5:00 p.m. and continued until after sunset. The Confederate artillery fire was not very effective, as the Confederate cannons were of "old and inferior pattern" according to historian Michael J. Forsyth. On April 15, the battery was involved in a skirmish near Gallups; it next fought at the

on the 18th. At Poison Spring, Harris's Battery was part of the brigade of

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Colton Greene Colton Greene (July 7, 1833September 23, 1900) was an officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded cavalry in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. After the Civil War Greene pursued several successful civic projects a ...

. The battery was position on the right

flank Flank may refer to: * Flank (anatomy), part of the abdomen ** Flank steak, a cut of beef ** Part of the external anatomy of a horse * Flank speed, a nautical term * Flank opening, a chess opening * A term in Australian rules football * The ...

on the Confederate line and provided artillery support for a Confederate charge against a Union wagon train. On April 29, the battery accompanied Greene's brigade as it harassed Steele's retreating column, and saw some fighting. However, the battery was not engaged at the

Battle of Jenkins' Ferry The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, also known as the Engagement at Jenkins' Ferry, was fought on April 30, 1864, in Hot Spring and Saline counties (present-day Grant County), Arkansas, during the American Civil War The American Civil War ...

on the 30th. During June 1864, the battery operated against Union Navy vessels serving on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

and inflicted damage on several gunboats and transports. On June 6, the battery was present at the

, where it guarded

Lake Village, Arkansas Lake Village is a city in and the county seat of Chicot County, Arkansas, Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,575 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is located in the Arkansas Delta. Lake Village is name ...

Price's Raid

The battery accompanied Major General

during his raid into Missouri in late 1864. During the campaign, the battery only had three cannons, and was commanded by

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

Thomas J. Williams. On September 27, at the

Battle of Pilot Knob The Battle of Fort Davidson, also known as the Battle of Pilot Knob, was a battle of Price's Missouri Expedition fought on September 27, 1864, near Pilot Knob, Missouri. Confederate troops under the command of Major-General Sterling Price had ...

, Harris's Battery fired the opening shots of the fight, but was quickly silenced by Union

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 ...

. The battery then participated in small fights at

Union, Missouri Union is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Missouri, United States. It is located on the Bourbeuse River, southwest of St. Louis. The population was 12,348 at the 2020 census. History Union was founded in 1826 and designate ...

on October 1, and at

California, Missouri California is a city in and the county seat of Moniteau County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,498. It is the largest city in Moniteau County and the third largest city in the Jefferson City metropolitan ar ...

on October 9. On October 15, during the Battle of Glasgow, the battery participated in shelling the Union garrison. On October 21, the battery helped repulse a Union attack at the

Battle of Little Blue River The Battle of Little Blue River was fought on October 21, 1864, as part of Price's Raid during the American Civil War. Major General (CSA), Major General Sterling Price of the Confederate States Army led an army into Missouri in September 1864 ...

, and it also saw action at the Battle of the Big Blue River on October 23. On October 25, at the

Battle of Mine Creek The Battle of Mine Creek, also known as the Battle of Little Osage, was fought on October 25, 1864, in Linn County, Kansas, as part of Price's Missouri Campaign during the American Civil War. Major-General Sterling Price had begun an expediti ...

, Harris's Battery was positioned near the center of the Confederate line. A Union

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

charge hit the Confederate line near where Harris's Battery was positioned, and the battery was left isolated. Two of the battery's cannons were captured as a result; although two were dragged some distance. However, even those two cannons were later captured. The battery suffered 35 casualties at Mine Creek. After the end of Price's Raid, the battery was transferred to

Grand Ecore, Louisiana Grand Ecore is an unincorporated community in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is located on LA-6, north of the city of Natchitoches on the Red River of the South. The community is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statisti ...

, where it was used to operate heavy artillery guarding the Red River. On November 19, the battery was officially designated the 4th Missouri Field Battery by Smith, although the moniker of Harris's Battery was still used to refer to the unit. On May 26, 1865, the battery surrendered; the men of the battery were

. When the paroles were issued, there were found to be 136 men in the battery. Historian James McGhee has speculated that many of the men were recruited during Price's Raid.

Explanatory notes

Citations

General sources