Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[137] attention to the valuable and gallant services of Lieutenant-Colonel Walker and Major Pelham. The position in which Colonel Walker was placed was peculiarly trying, from his being required to endure, for a long time, a very heavy fire without replying to it. Colonel J. Thompson Brown, commanding the corps reserve, also displayed noticeable coolness and judgment in taking his guns in to relieve Lieutenant-Colonel Walker under a severe fire.

We lost no pieces; nor did we capture any. Lieutenant Plater had a gun disabled and a limber exploded. Lieutenant-Colonel Walker had a gun disabled and a caisson and limber exploded, and Colonel Brown a gun disabled, as also did the Louisiana Guard battery. No carriages or parts of carriages were lost by us. The disabled guns were of course brought off. The loss in horses, and the nature of the ground, together with the position of the enemy's batteries and their numbers, effectively prevented any advance of our batteries as their infantry fell back, and before fresh batteries could get in, their line was reformed near the river road, and it was nearly night.

I cannot close this report without calling your attention to the great defect in the ammunition we used, by which few of our shells burst. My own observation entirely confirmed the numerous complaints made to me from the batteries. Much, if not most, of this difficulty is, I am satisfied, justly attributable to the fuses.

I have the honor to remain,

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the artillery battalion under my command during the recent hostilities:

At dawn on the eleventh instant, on the firing of the signal guns, I moved from camp, and posted Captain Rhett's heavy battery in pits which he had prepared on the hill south of the plank road, over-looking the entire country in front and the opposite bank of the river, at a distance of one mile and a half. Captain Parker's two rifles were placed in pits which he had built near Stansbury's house, commanding the entire flats in front and the opposite bank of the river. His howitzers were concealed behind Stansbury's house, in most admirable positions for opposing any advance of the enemy on the north of the town. The batteries maintained these positions during the whole occupation of the city by the enemy. The batteries of Captains Jordan, Moody, and Woolfolk were held concealed in rear of the plateau, back of Stansbury's house, ready to move out upon it at the appearance of the enemy's infantry, or to any other point of our line needing reenforements. The cannoneers of Captain Jordan's and Woolfolk's batteries were meanwhile employed, concealed by the mist, in making small pits on the most favorable points of the plateau, and eventually finished eight, in addition to those already there, which would have cost the enemy severely, had he attempted any advance north of the town. This disposition of my batteries remained unchanged during the eleventh and twelfth. On the twelfth, our infantry having evacuated the town, Captain Rhett's and Captain Parker's batteries opened their rifles occasionally at the position of the principal pontoon bridges of the enemy, Captain Rhett also enfilading two of the principal streets. These fires invariably elicited prompt and heavy responses from the enemy, from which, however, our pits saved us nearly all damage. On the morning of the thirteenth, this firing was continued, aided by three twelve-pounder guns of Captain Moody's battery, in a new position north of the plank road, opposite Captain Rhett, whence the street leading to the pontoon bridge could be enfiladed. This latter fire at once attracted a reply from every battery of the enemy's in reach, and caused us slight loss. Captain Moody, however, still held the position, sheltering his men when not firing. The enemy shelled this position not only all day, but every day of their occupation of the city afterwards, whence I infer that our fire must have caused them much annoyance. I afterwards made pits in this position for guns, with Captains Moody's and Rhett's cannoneers, but they were only completed on the morning of the enemy's evacuation. At twenty minutes to four P. M. of the thirteenth, I received an order to relieve the Washington artillery on Marye's Hill, their ammunition being nearly exhausted. I at once hastened there, with Captain Woolfolk's battery, Captain Moody's twelve-pounder guns, and two guns of Captain Jordan's battery, and occupied the pits under a heavy fire, which caused three fourths of my entire loss, while galloping up. The enemy were already within three hundred yards, and seeing the Washington artillery leave, after so protracted and gallant a defence, cheered and pressed on heavily, aided by three batteries, which opened from the edge of the town, and their line of heavy guns on the opposite bank. Disregarding the latter, we poured a rapid and murderous fire on the former and their advancing infantry, under which, and the accurate aim of our veteran infantry beneath us, they were soon driven to shelter behind the houses of the town. About dark the remaining section of Captain Jordan's battery was brought up, one gun replacing a damaged gun of Captain Maurin's in a pit left of the plank road, and the other remaining near, under the control of General Ransom, for any emergency. About seven P. M., the enemy, said to have been Sykes's division of regulars, again advanced, under cover of darkness, until opened on by our infantry below. My guns opened with canister and case-shot at the flashes of their muskets, and this, their last repulse, was said to have been