The War for Southern Independence:
Regiment History:
1ST
MISSISSIPPI LIGHT ARTILLERY
(AKA
WITHERS’ LIGHT ARTILLERY)
(from Dunbar
Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi,
1803-1898";
company
listing courtesy H. Grady Howell’s "For Dixie Land,
I’ll Take My Stand")
Posted January 26, 2005 by
John
J. Hansen
Company A -- Ridley’s Battery, aka Jackson Light
Artillery (raised in Hinds & Madison Counties, MS)
Company B -- Herrod’s Battery, aka Vaughan Rebels (raised
in Yazoo County, MS)
Company C -- Turner’s Battery (raised in Choctaw County,
MS)
Company D -- Wofford’s Battery (raised in Holmes County,
MS)
Company E -- Carroll Light Artillery (raised in Carroll
County, MS)
Company F -- Bradford’s Battery (raised in Lawrence
County, MS)
Company G -- Cowan’s Battery (raised in Warren County,
MS)
Company H -- Connor Battery (raised in Adams County, MS)
Company I -- Bowman’s Battery (raised in Yazoo County,
MS)
Company K -- Abbay’s Battery (raised in Claiborne &
Jefferson Counties, MS)
Company L -- Vaiden Artillery (raised in Carroll County,
MS) [Designation changed to E, March 6, 1865.]
In February, 1862, the Vaiden Battery, described as a new
company of artillery, with six guns, was sent from the command
of General Lovell, headquarters New Orleans, to reinforce the
army in Tennessee. Assigned to Chalmers' Brigade in
organization of March 9, 1862. April 3, General Ruggles
reported Bains' Battery not ready for field service. "Bains'
Battery is not to go," is the Adjutant-General's
endorsement. Lieutenant Sanderson, however, with a detachment,
manned two guns of the Stanford Battery, in place of men who
were sick, and was in the hottest of the fight at Shiloh,
temporarily losing the guns, which were soon recaptured.
Several men were killed and wounded. Report of May 6, Lieut.
R. H. Smith Thompson, commanding heavy artillery at Corinth, a
24-pounder siege gun, rifled, which commands the Farmington
road for nearly three-quarters of a mile, manned by Captain
Bains' company of light artillery. After the evacuation, at
Columbus several months, drilled as heavy artillery. Bains'
Artillery company, in Beltzhoover's command at Vicksburg,
January, 1863. Became Company L, First Artillery, as per
report of March, 1863.
The regiment [1st Mississippi Light Artillery] assembled in
camp of instruction near Jackson in May, 1862, and elected
field officers. Colonel Withers, in General Orders No. 1,
dated May 16, appointed James J. Calloway Acting Adjutant,
William D. Elder Acting Sergeant-Major, Charles F. Trumbull
and Andrew Trumbull Aides, Dr. M. W. Boyd Surgeon, Dr. C. A.
Rive Assistant Surgeon, Capt. Thomas C. Fearn Commissary,
Capt. William T. Hickle Quartermaster and Rev. Dr. W. W. Dovel
Chaplain. Soon afterward the regiment was called to Vicksburg
on account of the attack upon that place by fleets from New
Orleans and Memphis.
In his report of the defense of Vicksburg during the
bombardment, May 26 to July 27, 1862, General VanDorn said:
"Withers' Light Artillery was placed in such position as
to sweep all near approaches." Lieutenant-Colonel Parker
was in command, according to M. L. Smith's report. Three
divisions of the picket front were reinforced by batteries
from the artillery regiment. Captain Ridley, supported by
infantry and cavalry, was posted toward Warrenton, May 25.
Herrod's, the other six-gun company, was sent from Jackson
about the same time to the mouth of the Big Black to protect
the gunboat General Quitman.
The return of July, 1862, shows 24 officers and 399 men on
duty,
877 present and absent. August 1 the regiment was in camp
at the Marshall Place, "Camp Parker." J.L. Power was
appointed Adjutant August 6. The return of August shows the
following aggregate enrolled: Ridley, 225; Herrod, 152;
Turner, 156; Wofford, 142; Sanderson, 116; Bradford, 145;
Cowan, 138; Ralston, 99; Bowman, 123; Abbay, 142;. total
1,472, of which 1,022 were present. The regimental
headquarters were at Snyder's Bluff October 4, and at
Vicksburg January 19, 1863.
Ralston's company was reported detached at Port Hudson in
August, 1862. They crossed the river and became a part of the
Confederate forces afterward under the command of Gen. Richard
Taylor. [Note from elsewhere in "Military History of
Mississippi, 1803-1898" regarding Ralston’s Company: In
action at Grand Gulf, 1862; ordered to Port Hudson after the
close of bombardment of Vicksburg; fired the first gun at the
Essex in August; ordered to the Trans-Mississippi department
in September, 1862. With Gen. Alfred Mouton's command, in the
LaFourche district, and in battle of Donaldsonville, October
27, suffered severely. Captain Ralston was wounded and
captured. "This officer managed his battery with coolness
and ability and deserves much praise," Mouton said.
Engagements to close of war, Bayou Lafourche, Franklin, La.,
Milliken Bend, Lake Providence, Red River, Pineville, Grand
Ecore. Federal report, November, 1864, Connor Battery,
commanded by Lieutenant Foulk, ordered back to Monroe, La.,
time of Price's raid in Missouri. Mississippi Battery, Capt.
Benjamin Wade, in Trans-Mississippi Army, reported December
31, 1864, attached to Semmes' Battalion Horse Artillery,
Maxey's Cavalry Division. At Alexandria January, 865.]
Herrod's, Bradford's and Abbay's companies were sent to Port
Hudson later in 1862.
Five companies of the regiment were in the Vicksburg
campaign of December, 1862. Gen.. Stephen D. Lee, in command
of the Chickasaw Bayou line, from the city to Snyder's Mill on
the Yazoo, the line attacked by General Sherman, mentioned
Colonel Withers, given a brigade command, "who exhibited
high soldierly qualities and great gallantry, first in holding
the enemy in check after landing and in repulsing him when my
right flank was threatened. His dispositions were
excellent...Of the artillery, I would particularly mention
Major Holmes. Captain Wofford exhibited great gallantry and
coolness, and to him is due more credit than to any one else
for such defenses as were at Chickasaw Bayou, he having
planned and executed most of them. Lieutenants Johnston,
Duncan, Tarleton and Weems behaved well."
On the 26th, when Sherman effected a landing, driving in
Lee's pickets, Colonel Withers, with the Seventeenth
Louisiana, two companies of the Forty-sixth Mississippi, and
Captain Wofford with a howitzer of Company D, held the Federal
skirmishers in check near Mrs. Lake's plantation, in good
style, driving them back into the woods. Under a heavier
attack next morning Withers took position and held it, in a
woods a short distance up the bayou. That night Withers and
his infantry were transferred to Blake's Levee, where the
Federals had appeared in considerable force, giving Lee much
uneasiness. Withers was given command of the right wing of
Lee's line of defense. Here Withers had Bowman's Battery. The
arrangement was made none too soon, said Lee. On the 28th the
Federals carried the position where Withers had been, but at
the levee the attack was repulsed, the two Napoleon guns,
under Lieutenant Johnston, Company A, doing admirable service.
Next day was the principal assault, which failed with heavy
loss. Lieut. W. A. Lockhart was in charge of the 12-pounder
howitzer engaged at the plantation on the 17th.
On the 28th Johnston's two Napoleons swept the space
between the lake and levee, and three guns of Bowman's Battery
were posted to open fire when the enemy should turn the angle
of the levee. All day, though under heavy fire, they held the
Federals in check. About 11 A. M. the troops across the lake
were driven in and the Federal artillery advanced to McNutt's
Lake and opened fire on the batteries on the left of Withers'
command -- two of Wofford's guns, under Lieut. J. W. Weems;
two howitzers, under Captain Wofford; a section of Company E,
under Capt. N. J. Drew, and the other section of E at the
Indian mound. The heaviest fire was on Wofford's four guns,
and his loss of men was heavy, but night found the survivors
at their posts. Captain Drew, having one of his pieces
disabled, left the field with the other. Next day his battery
was commanded by Lieutenant Duncan. Part of Woffords' men, not
needed with the artillery, took their places with muskets in
the trenches.
Next day, 29th, when the main attack was developed on the
center of Lee's line, Withers sent two Louisiana regiments of
infantry and one gun from Company E, under Lieut. W. J.
Duncan, to the point of danger. As the Federal column
assaulted it was played upon from the right by Lieut.
Johnston's Napoleons and a 6-pounder of Company I, under
Lieut. John F. Tye, with marked effect. The assault was
unsuccessful and the Federals retreated, being thrown into
greater confusion by one of the Parrott guns of Company E,
taking them in the flank as they crossed the bed of the dry
lake. When another column advanced it was soon checked by
Duncan's gun and other artillery. Some of the pieces fired 120
rounds each during this action, and the firing was rapid and
accurate. During the evening the Federals attempted to throw a
pontoon bridge across McNutt's Lake, but Duncan and Wofford
soon put a stop to it, and General Lee ordered them to fire at
intervals through the night. In apprehension of another
attack, Withers was reinforced January 2, but Sherman's army
was re-embarking, and Withers commanded the three brigades of
infantry which moved out and found the camps deserted.
Lieutenant Johnston and a section of Wofford's Battery
accompanied this expedition. One of Johnston's guns was left
on picket at the Yazoo.
Six guns of Company A, Captain Ridley; all of Company G,
Captain Cowan, were posted at Snyder's Bluff, which was
threatened but not attacked. Colonel Withers complimented in
his report Major Holmes, who had general oversight of the
batteries in the field; Adjutant J. L. Power, Sergeant-Major
W. D. Elder, Quartermaster-Sergeant J. C. Henley, and his
Aides, Lieut. S. S. Champion, of Johnson's Cavalry, and
Captain Gaines, Volunteer Aide; and Captains Wofford and
Bowman, Lieutenants Lockhart, Weems, Johnston, Tye, and Lieuts.
William J. Cottingham and J. A. Guest, of Company E.
Casualties: Bowman, 1 killed; Drew, 2 killed, 3 wounded;
Wofford, 1 killed, 4 wounded.
In his report, Lieutenant-General Pemberton particularly
complimented, among others, "Colonel Withers, who first
commanded the force at Chickasaw Bayou and afterward at
Blake's Levee," and named the First Mississippi Artillery
as one of the commands "entitled to the highest
distinction."
In January, 1863, the regiment was listed as a part of Gem
S. D. Lee's command at Vicksburg. February, effective present,
789. Companies A and G were detached with Hebert's Brigade at
Snyder's Bluff; B, F and K were at Port Hudson; C was in the
Grenada district, D was at Chickasaw Bayou, H was in Southwest
Louisiana, Drew (E) was attached to Baldwin's Brigade, and
Bowman (I) to Vaughn's Brigade, at Vicksburg.
In the period of the sieges of Vicksburg and Port Hudson a
section of Ralston's Battery was on duty with Col. I. F.
Harrison on the west side of the river.
At the battle of Baker's Creek, May 15, Colonel Withers
took an important part. General Pemberton reported: "Col.
W. T. Withers, Chief of Field Artillery, with the army, was
active and attentive to his duties and prompt in the execution
of orders. In addition to his duties as chief of artillery,
Colonel Withers continued in the command of his regiment. He
also accompanied me on the field."
At the opening of the Vicksburg campaign of 1863, Company A
had eight guns in four sections, commanded by Lieutenants
Hooker, Sharkey (Ratliff’s), Lancaster and Johnston. In the
battle at Champion's hill, May 16, Captain Ridley commanded
Johnston's and Sharkey's sections, which were posted on the
left of Barton’s Brigade, the left brigade of Stevenson's
line. After the Federal attack had pushed the brigades of Lee
and Cumming, the onslaught fell, with overwhelming numbers,
upon Barton, who though he charged gallantly, was forced back
and entirely cut off from the rest of the division. It was
here that Major Joseph W. Anderson, Stevenson's Chief of
Artillery, met his death. "Here, too, the gallant Ridley,
refusing to leave his guns, single-handed and alone fought
until he fell, pierced with six shots, winning even from his
enemies the highest tribute of admiration." (Stevenson).
The horses being nearly all killed, almost all of Stevenson's
guns were captured. The main part of Barton's Brigade was
captured. Lieutenant Johnston and a few men escaped and
reported at Big Black that night.
Colonel Withers personally assisted in bringing up
Featherston's Brigade. Loring said: "It was a scene ever
to be remembered, when the gallant Withers and his brave men,
with their fine part of artillery, stood unflinchingly amid a
shower of shot and shell before the approach of the enemy in
overwhelming force, after his supports had been driven back,
trusting that a succoring command would arrive in time to save
his batteries." Early on the day of battle General Barton
posted Sharkey's section, supported by the Forty-second
Georgia, to hold the bridge over Baker's Creek. In his report
Barton named Lieut. Sharkey among those remembered for marked
and distinguished gallantry.
Half of the company, under Lieutenant Hooker, with four
guns, was not engaged at Champion's hill. Moving out from
Vicksburg, they joined the brigade of General Baldwin near the
Big Black May 12, and on the 15th were ordered forward to the
support of General Vaughn's Brigade, in the works at the head
of the railroad bridge, which General Pemberton attempted to
hold until he could hear from General Loring. This position
was assaulted by the Federal army on the 17th, and Hooker's
command participated in the defense that was made, until the
rout of the infantry made their position untenable.
Lancaster's battery was engaged and Hooker's under Lieutenant
Johnston, who was severely wounded by the explosion of
ammunition, which disabled one gun, three men being injured at
the same time. One of Johnston's guns was brought into
Vicksburg. Lancaster's two Parrot guns, stationed half mile
east of bridge, on south side of railroad, were captured.
In the second week of the siege of Vicksburg Lieutenant
Hooker, commanding the company, was severely wounded, losing
his left arm. Lieutenant Ratliff was in command of Turner's
Battery and acting Chief of Artillery of Hebert's Brigade,
after Col. C. H. Herrick was mortally wounded May 19.
Power's roll of Company A shows: Killed at Baker's Creek,
8; wounded, 2; captured, 8; battle of Baker's Creek, killed,
8; wounded, 2; captured, 8; Big Black, wounded, 1; siege of
Vicksburg, killed, 6; wounded, 6. General Hebert, with whose
brigade part of the company was stationed during the siege,
reported its casualties as 2 wounded. Part of the company was
with Moore's Brigade. Markers 139 and 169 show the site of
four 12-pounder howitzers under the command of Capt. C. E.
Hooker.
Company G, Captain Cowan, stationed at Snyder's Bluff, went
to the field at Baker's Creek, with Tilghman's Brigade of
Loring's Division, which was the left of Pemberton's army, and
not seriously engaged. The battery was posted about the middle
of Loring's line. The enemy was not far distant in their
front, but also inactive throughout the day until about 3 P.
M., when General Tilghman fired a few rounds from one of
Cowan's guns. This brought out a heavy fire from two Federal
batteries posted on Coken's hill, under which General Tilghman
was killed. Cowan responded, engaging the Chicago Mercantile
Battery. When the retreat began the route selected was
impassable for the artillery, and General Loring ordered the
guns spiked and abandoned. General Loring was not attempting
to rejoin Pemberton's army, considering himself cut off.
Colonel A. E. Reynolds, commanding Tilghman's Brigade,
reported that the battery had several men wounded and had
expended most of the ammunition. In the night march he said:
"Captain Cowan and all his men left the command and have
not been heard from since." Lieutenant Tompkins, however,
and seventy-eight men, were with the brigade, Captain Cowan,
Lieutenants Hanes, Cowan and Edwards, and the remainder of the
company, had rejoined the main army under General Pemberton.
" An 18-pounder, a 30-pounder Parrott and a Whitworth gun
were placed during the siege in rear of my line and commanded
by Captain Cowan," Gen. John C. Moore reported. Part of
the men fought in the trenches as infantry.
Company D, Wofford's, two 6-poundcr, two 12-pounder
howitzers, was at Baker's Creek with General Loring, and were
not engaged. Gen. W. E. Baldwin reported that after he took
position in the line of works at Vicksburg, May 18, checking
the rapid advance of Grant's army that hoped to enter
Vicksburg at once, he was reinforced by light artillery,
including three howitzers, two 6-poundors and two 3-inch
rifles, served by Wofford's company, all the artillery on his
line under the immediate direction of Captain Wofford as Chief
or Artillery for the brigade. They took part in the repulse of
the assault of the 19th and continued on duty through the
siege. In Baldwin's final report Captain Wofford was commended
for gallantry. Lieut. E. J. Weems commanded a two-gun battery
until he was killed. Other sections were commanded by Lieuts.
A. G. Arnold and M. R. Eakin. Sergts. Sproles and Shelton had
charge of guns.
Company I, Captain Bowman, during the siege of Vicksburg
was stationed at or near the road leading out from Cherry
Street, about one and one-half miles below Vicksburg (Hall's
Ferry road). The company was not in the Baker's Creek
campaign. At the beginning of the siege there were about 115
men on duty. Captain Bowman was disabled by sickness and the
officers on duty were Lieutenants Bower, Tye, D. W. Lamkin and
John Patton. Colonel Reynolds, commanding Fourth Brigade,
Stevenson's Division, reported that his artillery consisted of
five light pieces under Capt. F. O. Claiborne, one piece under
Captain Corput on the left, one section under Lieutenant Bower
on the right, one piece under Sergeant Hairston (Vaiden
Artillery) on the right, one siege piece under Lieut. George
P. Crane on the left center. The positions of four of Bowman's
guns are marked on the line, Markers 163, 187, 190, 194.
Company E, Capt. N. J. Drew, attached to Baldwin's Brigade.
A section under Lieut. W. J. Duncan served with Gen. S. D.
Lee's Brigade during the siege. The company is in list of
commands which crossed the river and returned to their homes
after the surrender of Vicksburg. Captain Drew commanded his
battery in 1864 attached to Polignac's Division,
Trans-Mississippi army.
Turner's company (C) was attached to General Loring's
command at Grenada in 1862, and participated in the defense of
Fort Pemberton at the head of the Yazoo River during the early
months of 1863, that position being assailed by a naval force
and infantry brought down Yazoo Pass from the Mississippi.
Afterward the battery was sent to Snyder's Bluff, where
Lieutenant Ratliff, Company A, was detailed as its commander.
It then had about ninety effective men, besides the
non-commissioned officers, under Lieutenants Collier, Flowers
and Eubanks, Dr. Turner, the Captain, having resigned. The
company was in a deplorable condition after its work in the
swamps, but soon got into fighting trim and took position on
the Vicksburg lines at the beginning of the siege, with
Hebert's Brigade, on the left of the Jackson road, where the
main part of the company remained through the siege, under the
command of Lieutenant Ratliff, Brigade Chief of Artillery.
There were about thirty casualties in the company and
Lieutenant Eubanks was severely wounded. Four men were wounded
by the mine explosion of July 1. The partial reports show 3
killed, 13 wounded, 2 missing, during the siege. Gem John C.
Moore reported part of this battery in his command
The Vaiden Artillery, Captain Bains, added to the regiment
as Company L, was on duty throughout the siege, part of the
company in the center batteries on the river under Major Ogden
and Col. Ed. Higgins, and one section under Lieut. Elbert M.
Collins with General Lee on the land line. General Lee gave
special mention in his report to Lieutenants Duncan (E) and
Collins (L). Lieut. A. J. Sanderson commanded a 10-pounder
rifled gun, Lieut. E. L. Wood 12-pounder, and Lieut. J. S.
Young was killed in command of a 12-pounder howitzer, with
Cumming's Brigade. Tablets 212, 214, 215.
The battalion at Port Hudson was no less heroic and
devoted. Abbay's, Bradford's and Herrod's companies, at Port
Hudson, had two wounded, March 14, 1863, when Admiral Farragut
ran the batteries and the man-of-war Mississippi was burned,
and other boats driven back, including the Essex.
Herrod's Battery had a prominent part in the fight at
Plains Store, near Port Hudson, with the advance of Banks'
army, May 21, 1863. Captain Herrod and several men were
wounded. Lieutenant Edrington, Sergeant Alex Kerr and Corporal
Lee killed. In the same fight Abbay's Battery was
distinguished and suffered severely, twenty-one being killed
and wounded, according to Lieut. E. V. Miller. Among the
killed were Lieutenant Pierce and First Sergeant H. J. Gorman.
During the fifty days' siege of Port Hudson Sergt. W. B.
Mires, of this company, and six others were killed. The
battalion had lost 11 killed and 33 wounded up to June 1,
after which there are no official reports. The three companies
were included in the surrender of July 8, after which the
officers were sent north to prison camps and the
non-commissioned officers and men paroled. The latter
assembled at parole camp at Enterprise, and having no guns,
formed an infantry battalion, under the command of Major
Jefferson L. Wofford. They took part in the battle of
Harrisburg, July, 1864, and subsequently were ordered to
Mobile.
Lieutenant Tompkins and the portion of Cowan's Battery that
did not return to Vicksburg from Baker's Creek, joined Gem
Wirt Adams' Cavalry, and was in that service until the battery
was equipped and its complement of men made up by detail from
Captain Smith's company of the Fifteenth Infantry. They served
under the command of Major Culberson with Johnston's army in
Mississippi, until after the exchange of Vicksburg prisoners,
when the old company was reorganized under Captain Cowan, at
Demopolis. The company was attached to Loring's Division of
the Army of Mississippi, Lieut.-Gen. Polk commanding, the
division artillery battalion commanded by Maj. John D. Myrick
in Atlanta campaign; Lieut. George H. Tompkins commanding,
July 31, four 12-pounder Napoleon guns. They were posted on
hills during battle of Resaca, were effectively engaged in the
battle near Marietta, June 27,and rendered good service
throughout the campaign. Corporal Dancy was killed and one
wounded at Resaca, and two were wounded at New Hope Church.
They accompanied Hood into North Georgia in the fall of 1864
and into Tennessee in November and December. In the first
day's battle at Nashville, the battery was ordered to report
to Gen. Ed. Johnson, on the extreme left, and they arrived on
the gallop and went into position in time to be run over and
lose their guns. That night the guns of Haskins' Battery were
turned over to the company, and, thus equipped, they took part
in the battle of December 16. On the retreat Lieutenant
Tompkins took three guns to Decatur and engaged a gunboat that
threatened the pontoon bridge. They delayed the boat from
daylight December 26, till about 2 P.M., when a shell
dismounted a gun and wounded Tompkins and one other and killed
one of the men.
The companies surrendered at Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, also
assembled in the parole camp at Enterprise, where 291 of the
regiment were reported present in November, 1863; in December
481 not exchanged. January 1, 1864, 160 officers and men in
parole camp at Enterprise, aggregate present and absent,
1,056. Those present and exchanged, arrived at Demopolis,
Ala., February 20, General Polk's forces having retreated
there before General Sherman's advance to Meridian, and were
ordered to report to General Maury, commanding at Mobile. The
regimental order book shows headquarters at Enterprise,
January 14, 1864, Capt. J. J. Cowan commanding the regiment;
at Mobile, February 21, Capt. E. L. Bower commanding the
regiment; at Mobile March, Capt. E. L. Bower commanding
battalion First Regiment; at Selma, March 9, Col. W. T.
Withers commanding regiment.
May 14, 1864, there were about eighty men in the parole
camp at Demopolis of the various companies of this regiment,
"and the regiment is divided, one company acting as horse
artillery in the cavalry command of Gen. S. D. Lee, and the
others doing provost duty in Mobile." The company of
horse artillery participated in the battle of Harrisburg, July
14, 1864. The command at Mobile was composed of Companies B,
C, D, I, K, which were listed June 1, Capt. George F. Abbay
commanding, in Fuller's Artillery Brigade; and June 30, Capt.
J. L. Bradford commanding, brigade of Gen. Edward Higgins,
Mobile.
Maj. J. L. Wofford was field officer of artillery, cavalry
corps commanded by Maj.-Gen. Stephen D. Lee.
Company A, Capt. William T. Ratliff, was assigned to
Loring's Division, General Polk's army, headquarters
Demopolis, Ala., early in 1864. In May the company is reported
at Canton, attached to Wirt Adams' Cavalry, one 12-pounder
howitzer, two 6-pounders, one 3.3-inch rifle. In August 85
present, 215 aggregate. Company A, Captain Ratliff commanding,
was with Gen. Wirt Adams in the attack upon General Slocum's
expedition as it retreated from Jackson toward Vicksburg,
July, 1864. The first attack was made in the evening of July
6, at the Barrett farm, west of Jackson, in which Lieutenant
Johnston's section participated, posted at the steam mill, and
Lancaster's section of 20-pounder Blakely guns in front of
Lee's house. The Forty-sixth and Seventysixth sustained the
attack mainly, supported by Bolton's Battery. Colonel Jones,
of the Forty-sixth, reported that, after a vigorous skirmish
under a heavy fire of shot and shell, they passed the night in
line of battle, made a demonstration of attack next morning,
and were, for three hours, under a galling fire until the
trains had passed, when he fell back under "a withering
fire, his ranks torn by shell," and "again subjected
to severe shelling, some shots telling fearfully in our
ranks," as they took up the march as rear guard. The
casualties of the two regiments, including the repulse of
Gholson's charge on the 7th, were 19 killed, 99 wounded.
Ratliff's men had 5 wounded. The losses in Gholson's Brigade
were heavy. October 31, 1864, Ratliff's Battery at Dry Grove;
109 present, four guns.
Part of the regiment, besides Cowan's Battery, was in the
siege of Atlanta. August 3, 1864, General Maury at Mobile
wrote to General Bragg: "Please send back my heavy
artillerists, the Louisiana Artillery and First Mississippi
Artillery." General Hood, at Atlanta, August 4: "The
First Mississippi Battalion goes tonight."
Regimental headquarters at Tensas Landing, August 10,
Colonel Withers commanding; at Sibley's Mills, east shore
Mobile Bay, August 23, Major Wofford commanding; at Mobile
thereafter, November, 1864, First Mississippi Artillery, Capt.
Marquis L. Cooke, in Maury's command; Bradford's and
Ratliff’s Battery in Southwest Mississippi. Two guns of
Bradford's Battery were captured at Brookhaven, November 18,
1864, by an expedition from Baton Rouge under Colonel Fonda,
who "surprised the town by daylight, scattering a small
infantry force and capturing a section of artillery with
caissons. The gunners were, many of them, shot down at their
pieces." (Gen. A. L. Lee's report). Private Winn was
killed in this fight. January, 1865, Abbay's Battery, 80
present, four field guns, in Semple's Battalion Artillery,
Mobile; March, 1865, Company L, at Battery Mclntosh, Mobile
Bay; Company G, Captain Cowan, in Grayson's Battalion, right
wing defenses of Mobile, Col. Melancthon Smith commanding. The
Vaiden company manned a battery of heavy artillery.
The Mobile Battalion was ordered to Blakeley, where they
served during the siege by General Canby, a period of fierce
fighting, ending in the capture of the garrison, April 9,
1865. They were taken to Ship Island, and, after the
capitulation by General Taylor, May 4, to Vicksburg, and
finally paroled.
On the night of [?]9, 186[?], a railroad train on which the
battalion commanded by Major Wofford was traveling between
Montgomery and Mobile, ran into a landslide, with fatal
results. Casualties: Company B, 7 killed, 28 wounded. 2
dangerously and 11 seriously; Company C, 4 seriously wounded;
Company D, 4 killed, 16 wounded; Company I, 4 slightly
wounded; Company K, 4 slightly wounded.
The final statements, incomplete, give the names of
officers and men who died in the service: Company A, 25;
Company B, 20; Company C, 43; Company D, 33; Company E, 25;
Company F, 19; Company G, 6; Company I, 23; Company K, 21.
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