An Intimate View of Battery E’s Demise

Stones River Stories

The story of rapid demise of Battery E, 1st OhioLight Artillery at the Battle of Stones River has been shared previously onthis blog, but I recently discovered this previously unknown account penned byCorporal Oliver P. Clark that provides an intimate view of thosefateful opening minutes of Stones River.

Oliver Clark’s role with thebattery was the No. 2 man as part of Detachment F, the sixth gun in thebattery. Clark’s primary duties when the battery was in action included receivingthe shell from the No. 5, then inserting it into the muzzle of thecannon. That said, he had an up close view of the action. Once the Confederate assault opened the battle, Clark raced to hispiece which was loaded with a double shot of canister. “Dick Gillett says, ‘Lether go!’ and Detachment F was in it,” Clark remembered. “The old gun sent thecanister; it struck the Rebel column seven lines deep. The canister cut downevery man that was in range, cutting a hole in the column about 12 feet wide.Perk said, ‘That’s the stuff!’ But they came as though nothing had happened.They closed up the gap and Detachment F opened it time after time. Perk said, ‘Spread‘em all around!’ We worked the gun and the Johnnies came over our way shootingright at us and with that Rebel yell.”

Corporal Clark wrote aneight-part series giving a history of the battery which was published in the WeeklyToledo Blade as part of their Camp Fire soldiers’ column in the summer of1894. This account of Stones River was originally featured in the August 30,1894, edition of the Weekly Toledo Blade.

 

Three soldiers of Battery E, 1st Ohio Light Artillery who numbered among the casualties in the opening moments of Stones River. From left to right, Captain Warren P. Edgarton who was wounded while firing the battery's last shots, Private Julius Waite at center who was killed in the first moments, and Private Francis M. Perkins, called "Perk" in Corporal Clark's account; Perk was captured along with all six guns of the battery. 

          Stones Riveror Murfreesboro was the place. Now about this time things began to get warm. TheJohnnies were getting stubborn; they had to be pinched considerably. We had totake the whole battery along when we went foraging. The Johnnies were mad; theycalled Rosecrans an old soap boiler, but Detachment F kept right along. On December30, 1862, along toward night we drew way off on the stream to the left ofRosecrans’ army at Stones River.

We took position and here wecommenced to speed the Johnnies. We unlimbered the piece and commenced firingat a Texas battery [Captain Felix Robertson’s battery] Pick says ‘Give ‘emhell, boys!’ and we did. We tore that battery all to pieces in about 30minutes; then we fell back a little and went into park, ate our supper, andslept by the guns. But that night the Johnnies did not sleep. They replenishedthe Texas battery with infantry and the next morning about daylight Edgartoncame around and told the drivers very quietly to water the horses.

But about the time, Lieutenant [Andrew]Berwick, a little spitfire, came out and yelled at the top of his voice ‘Wateryour horses.’ The Johnnies heard the order as well as we did and they took theadvantage of it for they were only about 80 rods away in a pine thicket andthey made the advance on our battery. Sergeant William Welcher says, ‘Cannoneers,to your pieces!’ We got there and double-shotted the gun with canister. DickGillett says, ‘Let her go!’ and Detachment F was in it. The old gun sent thecanister; it struck the Rebel column seven lines deep. The canister cut downevery man that was in range, cutting a hole in the column about 12 feet wide.Perk said, ‘That’s the stuff!’

But they came as though nothinghad happened. They closed up the gap and Detachment F opened it time aftertime. Perk said, ‘Spread ‘em all around!’ We worked the gun and the Johnniescame over our way shooting right at us and with that Rebel yell. The reservegave away. They left their guns in stack and went to the rear. The Johnniescame on. They killed 35 horses and 20 men and Detachment F was spread allaround. We went in every direction but one, and that was towards the enemy!

 

To learn more about Battery E at the Battle ofStones River, please check out these posts:

Comanche versus the Professor: The Artillery Duel Along the Franklin Pike

Receipt in Full in Red Ink: Captain Warren P. Edgarton at Stones River

Captured Entire: The Loss of Battery E, 1st OhioLight Artillery at Stones River

Source:

"Edgarton's Battery," Corporal Oliver P. Clark, Battery E, 1st OhioVolunteer Light Artillery, Weekly Toledo Blade (Ohio), August 30, 1894,pg. 3

 

To learn more about the Stones River campaign, be sure tocheck out my new book “Hell by the Acre: A Narrative History of the Stones River Campaign,” available now from Savas Beatie.