|
Submitter’s
Note: The following are just a few of the stories
available
online that document the wartime action of the
men
who served in Bledsoe’s Battery. LPP
------------------------------
"… The
governor remained in Warsaw two days, and then resumed in a
more leisurely manner his march toward Montevallo, in Vernon
county, to form a junction with the column under Rains and
Slack. The progress of this column had been slow, because
the streams it had to cross were high, and the useless and
cumbrous baggage train, as well as the men, had to be
ferried over them. Rains' effective strength was less than
1,200 infantry under Col. Richard H. Weightman, about 600
mounted men under Colonel Cawthorn, and Capt. Hiram
Bledsoe's three gun battery.
One of Bledsoe's guns
was captured by the Missourians in the Mexican war at the
Battle of Sacramento. It was presented by the general
government to the State of Missouri and for years stood on
the bluff overlooking the Missouri river at Lexington.
Bledsoe brought it out with a yoke of oxen. There was a
considerable percentage of silver in its composition, which
gave it a ring when fired that could be distinguished on the
field amidst the firing of a hundred ordinary guns.
Bledsoe's battery was always in the thickest of the fight,
and the soldiers of the State Guard, as well as the
Federals, soon came to know "Old Sacramento's"
voice. It became so badly grooved from use that it was
finally condemned, sent to Memphis to be recast with other
guns, and its identity lost.
…At daybreak next morning, July 5th, the army moved, with
Rains in front and Capt. J. O. Shelby's company in advance.
The governor with his staff and Gen. David R. Atchison rode
at the head of the column with General Rains. About five
miles from Lamar they learned that Sigel had left Carthage
and was on his way to give them battle. Hardly had they
halted when the glint of the Federal bayonets showed them
the enemy on the other side of a creek. The governor formed
his men in line of battle with Weightman's brigade on the
right, then Bledsoe's battery, and then Slack's infantry.
Guibor's battery was on the left of Slack, and next to him
was Kelly's regiment and then Burbridge's regiment. The
right flank was covered by Rains' mounted men under Brown
and Rives. The Federals, about 2,000 strong, with seven
pieces of artillery, advanced with the steadiness and
precision of veterans. Sigel opened the fight with his
artillery, firing across the creek. Bledsoe's three guns
replied, and almost at the same time Guibor's battery
opened. The artillery fight lasted for half an hour or more,
when the mounted men on both flanks of the governor's army
maneuvered as if to surround Sigel, and at the same time
Weightman's and Slack's infantry advanced rapidly. The
engagement was sharp and decisive. Sigel fell back in good
order and took a new position well defended by his
artillery.
Then Weightman
reformed his line, opened fire with Bledsoe's battery, and
with his own brigade and Slack's infantry pressed Sigel's
line hard. The fighting at this point was stubborn for a
while, but Clark and Parsons bringing their forces to bear,
Sigel gave way and was soon in full retreat. Nor did he
stop, except temporarily at Carthage to get his wagon train
out of the way, until he had put forty miles between him and
the enemies whom he expected to capture without a fight. The
honors of the battle belonged to Weight-man's brigade,
Slack's command, Shelby's mounted company and Bledsoe's
battery. The Missourians lost 40 or 50 killed and about 120
wounded. The loss of the enemy was estimated as twice as
large. The fight was known as the Battle of Carthage.
Source: Missouri in
the Civil War, Vol 9, Chap 5,
Confederate Military
History by Col. John C. Moore at
http://www.civilwarhome.com/missouri5.htm
------------------------------
"…After their
success at Oak Hills, the Missourians under General Price
set out to liberate Lexington, Missouri. During this seven
day siege, Captain (Emmett) MacDonald commanded Bledsoe's
battery of artillery. (Bledsoe had been wounded at the Dry
Wood skirmish Sept. 2nd). The battery, was located in the
Northeast sector of the battlefield, and poured out a
continuous and deadly fire of shot and shell which
demoralized and paralyzed the enemy who had fortified the
Masonic College just North of town. A cannonball is still
lodged in the courthouse in Lexington, which may have came
from one of Emmett's cannon as he competed with Churchill
Clark's battery trying to shoot down the enemy's flag staff
and win a gold medal offered by General Rains. (Clark won
the medal). Finally at 2 a.m. on September 20th, 1861 after
fifty-two hours of continuous firing, the federals under
Col. Mulligan surrendered. Emmett MacDonald was commended
for gallantry, zeal and untiring endurance by Generals
Price, Rains and Harris."
Source: Biography of
Col. Emmett MacDonald at
http://www.missouridivision-scv.org/camp1846.htm
------------------------------
"This is an
interesting account of the Missouri State Guard at both
Cowskin Prairie and Wilson's Creek. Though written many
years after the actual incidents, Lindsey provides us with
some interesting information. Lindsey comments on the
Guard's assortment of civilian guns as well as their lack of
good food at Cowskin. He also discusses several aspects of
the Battle of Wilson's Creek.
Several of Lindsey's
desriptions of incidents that occurred during the battle are
highly exagerated. It is doubtful that Bledsoe actually used
bags of buckshot in his guns. He also displays a lack of
understanding concerning Sigel's role in the battle. Lindsey
states that Sigel was sent by Lyon to silence Bledsoe's
guns. In fact, Sigel's men formed the southern arm of Lyon's
two-pronged attack… Lindsey has added several
embellishments to the incident. Despite his "old
soldiering," Lindsey provides us with an interesting
account of life in the Missouri State Guard in 1861.
Cowskin
Prairie and Wilson's Creek
by Dr. Flavius J. Lindsey
Published in the Missouri Republican - St. Louis, MO, March
12, 1886
"…We left
without tents, grub or anything, but a few old rifles and
shot guns, some of them borrowed from neighbors and not yet
returned. The first night's ride brought us to Stockton, in
Cedar County, where the young ladies, headed by Miss Lou
Hill (now Mrs. Haines of Bentonville, Ark.), volunteered to
make tents, the courthouse being the place selected. While
the young ladies cut and sewed we soldiers sang
"Dixie" and "Home Sweet Home", which
place many of us have never visited yet.
From there we
travelled west in search of Gen. James S. Rains, who we
heard had a great many men. We found him at last on Cowskin
River, or rather the prairie. Here we went into a kind of
organization. Our regiment was the Fifth Missouri State
Guard. Clarkson, an old Mexican war veteran, was our
colonel; Robert Crawford of Mt. Vernon, Mo. our
lieutenant-colonel; Miles Buster of Greenfield, Mo. our
major; Camel Lemon of Polk County, our adjutant. A braver
set of officers never graced the history of any cause, but
it seems that the part the regiment took has been left out.
This was the regiment
that supported Bledsoe's Battery, the battery being a part
of us. We were a mixed regiment, part mounted and part
infantry. After living on wheat flour, bran, and all ground
together, for some time on Cowskin, we began to get restless
and longed for the flesh pots of Polk and Cedar, but we were
in for six months. So we grinned and waited to repel the
invader. As we consolidated our brigade commander was Gen.
Wakeman or Waitman.
…A few days later
we marched to Wilson's Creek, where, on the morning of the
10th (of August) that memorable battle was fought. At
precisely 6 o'clock by Dr. Dunn's watch we sat down around a
table-cloth at headquarters. That was about all we had
except one pint cup of coffee and nine roasting ears. We
were passing the cup, each man taking a sip, when bang!
boom! boom!. The four corners of the cloth were suddenly
drawn inward. A grape, not the kind you eat, but one of
those indigestables, had struck the center of our festal
board. We were up quicker than it takes to write it.
Our division was on
the southeast hill. The battery, Bledsoe's, on the most
elevated ground. It was unlimbered immediately and turned on
the advancing foe. After the Yanks got our range the first
shot killed three horses and tore one leg off a 15 year old
boy rider. Here the enemy seemed to concentrated their aim.
Our horses were soon all disabled. The guns were then run in
by hand. Thus the battle went on. Our balls gave out, when
Bledsoe would take a whole sack of No. 1 buckshot and cram
them down that memorable old gun, Sacramento. At 200 yards
such loads did such execution that we were a terror to their
lines, so much so that Sigel (was) sent around to silence
us…
Source: Post-war
account of Cowskin Prairie and Wilson’s
Creek, edited by
Chris Azevedo at
http://members.aol.com/ozrkreb/hist3art1.htm
------------------------------
"GENERAL: In
conformity with orders from Brigadier-General Rains the
troops under my command marched from camp at Scott's Mill,
Mo., on the morning of September 24, and moved northward by
way of Pineville, for the purpose of forming a junction with
Colonel Shelby (who was at that time in command of a brigade
of Missouri cavalry), which was effected on the evening of
the 26th at the Big Spring, head of Indian Creek.
I assumed command on the 27th. Colonel Hawpe's Texas
regiment and Major Bryan's Cherokee Battalion were ordered
to Newtonia, having made it an outpost, and the mill at that
place was put in operation for the purpose of supplying the
command with breadstuffs, which it did abundantly.
…On the morning of the 30th the enemy appeared in force in
front of Newtonia and made a vigorous attack upon the troops
at that place both with artillery and small-arms,
which was promptly replied to by
Captain Bledsoe's battery of two guns, supported by Colonel
Hawpe's and Major Bryan's commands, who were posted behind
the stone fence. At the time of the attack I was en route
for Granby, having with me Colonel Alexander's Texas cavalry
regiment, with the intention of taking possession of and
holding that place. Upon hearing the firing we hastened to
the scene of action. We found our forces hotly pressed by
superior numbers of the enemy. Colonel Alexander was at once
ordered to take position below the mill on the right, which
was obeyed with alacrity under a strong fire of grape and
Minie balls. The enemy's infantry had now possession of some
of the buildings in the suburbs of the village, their
sharpshooters being near enough to pick off our artillerymen
from their guns.
Colonel Alexander's
regiment was forced to remount and fall back to the support
of Bledsoe's battery, taking position behind the stone fence
east of Ritchie's house to the right of the battery, Major
Bryan's battalion being on the left, Colonel Hawpe's
regiment occupying the stone barn and yard in front of
Ritchie's house. Captain Bledsoe, with his artillerymen,
stood gallantly to their guns until the last shot was
expended, showering grape and canister among the advancing
foe, and when forced to fall back out of range of the
enemy's sharpshooters, when ordered to do so, came promptly
into battery on the ridge about 150 yards to the right and
rear of their former position, near the road from Newtonia
to the Big Spring (Camp Coffee), by the way of Dr. Harmon's,
though without a solitary shot in their caissons. The effect
of this was at once apparent in checking the Federal cavalry
on our left, who had commenced advancing the moment they saw
the battery retiring. Captain Bledsoe continued to occupy
that position under a heavy fire from the enemy's batteries
until the close of the action.
Colonel Hawpe at this
juncture received orders to charge the enemy's infantry, and
at the head of his men at once went gallantly into the
charge. Leaping the stone fence, they met the enemy, when a
sharp fight took place; but being exposed to the fire of the
enemy's artillery, as well as infantry, were compelled,
after succeeding in checking his advance, to fall back to
their original position, under cover of the stone fence. At
this moment the First Choctaw and Chickasaw Regiment, led by
Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, entered the town at full gallop,
passed through without halting, singing their war-songs and
giving the war-whoop, and under my personal direction at
once engaged the enemy under a heavy fire from artillery and
infantry. Colonel Shelby's Missouri regiment,
Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon commanding, had in the mean time
arrived on the field and taken position on the right,
flanking the enemy. That, with the charge of the Choctaws,
soon drove them from the town and put them to flight,
followed by Lieutenant-Colonel Walker and his men.
At this moment Colonel Stevens' regiment from Granby
appeared on our left, and having received orders to charge
the enemy, moved forward rapidly and arrived in time to
participate in the pursuit. Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, not
being aware that Colonel Stevens was in that direction,
mistook his for a Federal regiment. Perceiving this, my son
(Dr. Cooper) and my aide (Lieutenant Heiston) were sent by
different routes to inform him that it was one of our own
regiments, when he again moved forward. The delay occasioned
by this mistake alone enabled the Federals to get off the
field with their batteries and the remnant of their troops.
The enemy now fled in confusion from the field, closely
followed by our troops, the Choctaws in the center, the
Missourians on the right, and Stevens' regiment on the left.
We captured a number of prisoners and strewed the woods and
road with dead and wounded. Large numbers of arms were also
captured, thrown away by the enemy in their flight. The
enemy's infantry (Ninth Wisconsin) were nearly all
destroyed, being either killed or taken prisoners. The
pursuit continued near 6 miles, when the enemy, meeting
heavy re-enforcements, rallied his broken columns and again
returned to the field.
I had in the mean time been re-enforced by Colonel Jeans'
Missouri-cavalry and Captain Howell's four-gun battery,
which took position at the grave-yard on the north side of
the town, the enemy occupying the elevated ridge 1 mile
north. His force was greatly superior to ours. His artillery
consisted of three batteries, which soon opened upon us, and
was ably replied to by Captain Howell, who sustained their
concentrated fire during the afternoon engagement, never
abandoning a position except when ordered to do so. The men
handled their guns with the greatest coolness and celerity.
He lost many of his horses and some of his men; among them
Sergt. Felix S. Heiston, who was particularly distinguished
for his bravery and soldier-like bearing; he was killed at
his gun by a cannon-ball.
Stevens' and Jeans'
regiments were ordered to attack the enemy's cavalry on
their right, assisted by Bledsoe's battery. At this time a
large body of men were seen coming in on our left and rear,
which proved to be Colonel Folsom, who had been ordered up
from Scott's Mill. Colonel Stevens was ordered to
reconnoiter and ascertain who they were. In the mean time a
few shots from Bledsoe's battery, supported by Gordon's
cavalry, dispersed the enemy's cavalry, who were threatening
our left on the Granby road.
About this time the enemy had sent
unperceived two regiments of Pin Indians and jayhawkers upon
my right, supported by masses of infantry. They obtained
possession of some bushes and stone fencing on the spring
branch below the mill. Their object was to turn my right,
where the Choctaws were posted. Just at this time Colonel
Folsom's Choctaw regiment arrived, and by passing through a
corn field succeeded unperceived in getting very close to
the enemy on our right. The engagement soon became general
between the two Choctaw regiments and the jayhawkers and
hostile Indians. At the same time the enemy opened all his
batteries, under cover of which he advanced blocks of
infantry to the support of those regiments which had been
previously sent to my right. The battle was now raging in
all parts of the field. Their masses of infantry could be
plainly seen advancing in perfect order, with guns and
bayonets glittering in the sun. The booming of cannon, the
bursting of shells, the air filled with missiles of every
description, the rattling crash of small-arms, the cheering
of our men, and the war-whoop of our Indian allies, all
combined to render the scene both grand and terrific.
Seeing the enemy's infantry
advancing at double quick to re-enforce their left, I at
once ordered Captain Howell to send two of his guns to take
position in the corn field and shell the enemy out before
their infantry could arrive. This was soon effected and the
enemy fleeing from the field. At the same time the other
guns under Lieutenant Routh were turned upon his advancing
columns and on the jayhawkers and Pin Indians, who had been
thrown in advance, but were now in full flight.
Lieutenant-Colonel Buster, with his battalion, now arrived,
and throwing out on the right the two Choctaw regiments and
Colonel Stevens' regiment, on the left Colonels Jeans' and
Gordon's Missouri regiments and Hawpe's Texas regiment,
placing Colonel Alexander's regiment and Buster's battalion
with the artillery in the center, the enemy was pursued over
the prairie a distance of 3 miles to the timber.
...The artillery of
Captains Howell and Bledsoe was admirably handled, and much
credit is due those officers for the efficiency of their
batteries."
Source: Report of Col. Douglas Cooper, CSA at Camp
Coffee, Mo on Oct 2,
1862 at
http://art50.home.mindspring.com/14thMo10a.htm |
