Wade's Missouri Battery
| Wade's Battery 1st Light Battery Walsh's Battery | |
|---|---|
| Active | December 28, 1861–October 3, 1863 |
| Country |  Confederate States of America |
| Branch |  Confederate States Army |
| Type | Artillery |
| Equipment | 2x 6-pounder guns 4x 12-pounder howitzers |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
Wade's Battery (later Walsh's Battery, also known as the 1st Light Battery)Landis's Battery and Guibor's Battery on October 3, 1863, and Wade's Battery ceased to exist as a separate unit.
Service history
Organization
Captain William Wade organized the battery in December 1861. Many of the batterymen had served in the Missouri State Guard before joining the battle; recruiting activities occurred at Osceola, Missouri and Springfield, Missouri. On December 28, the battery officially joined the Confederate States Army while at Springfield. After joining the army, the battery was assigned to the First Missouri Brigade and equipped with two 6-pounder guns[1] and four 12-pounder howitzers.[2]
1862
Pea Ridge
In early 1862, the battery was assigned to the forces of
cannons were able to silence the 1st Iowa Battery, which had several of its ammunition chests exploded.[4] Early on March 8, Wade's Battery and Good's Texas Battery began firing at ranks of Union infantry which were preparing for a counterattack; however, this fire was not effective. In contrast, Union artillery began firing at the two Confederate batteries, inflicting casualties. Wade's Battery retreated in what historians William Shea and Earl J. Hess described as a "wild disorder."[5] When the Confederate position on the end of the battlefield where Wade's Battery was engaged collapsed, Wade's Battery was one of the last units to leave the field.[6] Wade's Battery suffered nine casualties at Pea Ridge.[1]
Corinth
In April, Wade's Battery was ordered across the
Hiram Bledsoe's Missouri Battery. The combined Confederate cannons drove off Union artillery, allowing a Confederate infantry charge to occur.[9] Later that day, a Union infantry force threatened Landis's Battery and Guibor's Battery; Wade's Battery helped repulse the threat.[10] At Corinth, Wade's Battery suffered 20 casualties. In December, Captain Wade was promoted to the command of the artillery in Major General John S. Bowen's division; First Lieutenant Richard Walsh replaced Wade as commander of the battery.[1]
1863
In early 1863, the battery was transferred to the
ironclad warships of the Union Navy bombarded Fort Wade and the nearby Fort Coburn. The guns of Fort Wade were silenced, but Fort Coburn continued firing. Towards the end of the fighting, Wade was killed.[12] The battery suffered seven casualties in the battle. After Grand Gulf, the battery was temporarily placed on detached service, and missed the Battle of Port Gibson on May 1.[13] Wade's Battery was attached to Francis Cockrell's brigade in John S. Bowen's division.[14]
On the morning of May 16, as part of the
rifled cannon.[13]
During the
sharpshooting. Beginning in late June, they began digging a tunnel for the purpose of detonating a charge of gunpowder under the Union line, but the Confederate garrison surrendered before this could be completed.[18] The battery lost seven men during the siege; by the time of the surrender on July 4, only 52 men were left. They were paroled and reported to Demopolis, Alabama. After being exchanged, the battery was combined with Landis's Battery and Guibor's Battery on October 3; Wade's Battery ceased to exist as a separate unit.[19]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f McGhee 2008, p. 4.
- ^ Shea & Hess 1992, p. 336.
- ^ Shea & Hess 1992, pp. 334–336.
- ^ Shea & Hess 1992, pp. 162–163.
- ^ Shea & Hess 1992, pp. 231–233.
- ^ Shea & Hess 1992, p. 252.
- ^ Cozzens 1997, p. 327.
- ^ Cozzens 1997, p. 176.
- ^ Cozzens 1997, pp. 204–205.
- ^ Cozzens 1997, pp. 219–220.
- ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 4–5.
- ^ Tucker 1993, pp. 124–125.
- ^ a b c McGhee 2008, p. 5.
- ^ Battles & Leaders 1987, p. 550.
- ^ Tucker 1993, pp. 157–158.
- ^ Tucker 1993, pp. 172–175.
- ^ Tucker 1993, pp. 178–180.
- ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 5–6.
- ^ McGhee 2008, p. 6.
Sources
- Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. Vol. 3. Secaucus, N.J.: Castle. 1987 [1883]. ISBN 0-89009-571-X.
- Cozzens, Peter (1997). The Darkest Days of the War: The Battles of Iuka and Corinth. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-2320-1.
- McGhee, James E. (2008). Guide to Missouri Confederate Regiments, 1861–1865. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 978-1-55728-870-7.
- Shea, William L.; Hess, Earl J. (1992). Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-4669-4.
- Tucker, Philip Thomas (1993). The South's Finest: The First Missouri Brigade from Pea Ridge to Vicksburg. Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: White Mane Publishing Company. ISBN 0-942597-31-1.