Clark's Missouri Battery (also known as the 2nd Missouri Light Battery and later known as King's Battery and then the Farris' Battery) was an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to f ...

that served in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Early history

Missouri State Guard

The battery was first formed as a unit of the

Missouri State Guard The Missouri State Guard (MSG) was a military force established by the Missouri General Assembly on May 11, 1861. While not a formation of the Confederate States Army, the Missouri State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at variou ...

in late 1861. In

Lexington, Missouri Lexington is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,726 at the 2010 census. Lexington is in western Missouri, within the Kansas City metropolitan area, approximately east of Kansas C ...

, Samuel Churchill Clark enrolled into the State Guard as a private and was appointed to the 8th Division of the MSG under James S. Rains. Soon, the State Guard artilleryman was leading an iron

6-pounder gun 6-pounder gun or 6-pdr, usually denotes a gun firing a projectile weighing approximately . Guns of this type include: *QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss, a 57 mm naval gun of the 1880s; a similar weapon was designed by Driggs-Schroeder for the US Navy ...

with a dedicated crew. The artillery battery served in the

Trans-Mississippi Theater The trans-Mississippi theater of the American Civil War was the scene of the major military operations west of the Mississippi River. The area is often thought of as excluding the states and territories bordering the Pacific Ocean, which formed ...

where it had provided artillery support for Gen.

Sterling Price Sterling Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was an American politician and military officer who was a senior General officers in the Confederate States Army, officer of the Confederate States Army, fighting in both the Weste ...

's army at the battles of Wilson's Creek and Lexington.

First Battle of Lexington

Amid the First Battle of Lexington on September 18, 1861, Clark commanded three six-pound artillery pieces and their cannoneers. Clark's Battery, along with

Bledsoe's Missouri Battery Hiram Bledsoe's Missouri Battery was an artillery battery that served in the Missouri State Guard and the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The battery was formed when the Missouri State Guard was formed as a pro-secessio ...

and Guibor's Battery kept the position of Colonel

James A. Mulligan James Adelbert Mulligan (June 30, 1830 – July 26, 1864) was Colonel (United States), colonel of the 23rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. On February 20, 1865, the United States Senate conf ...

's Union forces under artillery fire.

Clark's Battery

On October 23, 1861, Samuel C. Clark was officially appointed

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

of the 1st Battery of Artillery in the 4th Division of the Missouri State Guard under Gen.

William Y. Slack William Yarnel Slack (August 1, 1816 – March 21, 1862) was an American lawyer, politician, and military officer who fought for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Born in Kentucky, Slack moved to Missouri as a ch ...

Confederate States Army

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...

, Gen. Price reorganized the battery for

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

service as the 2nd Missouri Light Artillery Battery on January 16, 1862. Captain Clark's battery was assigned to the First Missouri Confederate Brigade commanded by Col. Henry Little under Price's division. Clark's battery and

Wade's Missouri Battery Wade's Battery (later Walsh's Battery, also known as the 1st Light Battery) was an artillery battery in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The battery was mustered into Confederate service on December 28, 1861; many of t ...

accompanied Col. Little and his brigade as the army's

rearguard A rearguard or rear security is a part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or Withdrawal (military), withdrawal. The term can also be used to describe forces protecting lines, such as Line of c ...

. Armed with four field pieces in total,Tenney, W. J. (1866). The Military and Naval History of the Rebellion in the United States: With Biographical Sketches of Deceased Officers. United States: Appleton. the battery fielded two 6-pounder field guns and two 12-pounder howizters.

Battle of Dunagin's Farm

Fighting in Arkansas's first Civil War engagement, Clark's Missouri Battery took part in the Battle of Dunagin's Farm, south of Little Sugar Creek. Gen. Sterling Price assigned the artillery battery to Col.

Louis Hébert Louis Hébert (; c. 1575 – 25 January 1627) is widely considered the first European apothecary in the region that would later become Canada, as well as the first European to farm in said region. He was born around 1575 at 129 de la rue Sa ...

's infantry brigade in Gen.

Benjamin McCulloch Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...

's division, which was acting as the rearguard for his army retreating from Springfield, Missouri. On February 17, 1862, near Flat Creek, the artillerymen of Clark's 2nd Missouri Light Battery along with Col. Elijah Gates' 1st Missouri Cavalry encountered the 1st Missouri Cavalry Regiment of Col. Calvin A. Ellis under Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis. The artillery battery opened the engagement with a

bombardment A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or cities and buildings. Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended obje ...

down Telegraph Road, leading to a skirmish between the Missouri

cannoneer "Cannoneer" as a term for an artilleryman dates from the 16th century. the United States Army uses as titles for such a soldier: "13B" (thirteen bravo) M.O.S. (military occupational specialty code), a "cannon crewmember" or "cannoneer" for short ...

s and the

3rd Iowa Independent Battery Light Artillery The 3rd Iowa Light Artillery Battery was a light artillery battery from Iowa that served in the Union Army between September 24, 1861, and October 23, 1865, during the American Civil War. Service The 3rd Iowa Light Artillery was mustered into ...

. Col. Hébert would shortly withdraw south to Cross Hollow with the rest of Price's Confederate army.

Battle of Pea Ridge

On March 2, 1862, Gen. Price combined his forces with those of Gen. McCulloch and Maj. Gen.

Earl Van Dorn Earl Van Dorn (September 17, 1820May 7, 1863) was an American Major General who started his military career as a United States Army officer and became famous for successfully leading two defenses of a Native American settlement from the Comanch ...

to form Van Dorn's Army of the West. Van Dorn's Confederate forces moved towards the Union

Army of the Southwest The Army of the Southwest was a Union Army that served in the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the American Civil War. This force was also known as the Army of Southwest Missouri. History Army of the Southwest Created on Christmas Day, 1861, ...

Pea Ridge, Arkansas Pea Ridge is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The name Pea Ridge is derived from a combination of the physical location of the original settlement of the town, across the crest of a ridge of the Ozark Mountains, and for the ho ...

. Engaging in the

Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place during the American Civil War near Leetown, Arkansas, Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. United States, Feder ...

from March 7 to March 8, Samuel Clark led the 2nd Battery of Artillery with Lt. James L. Farris and four

s. On the first day at Pea Ridge, the 2nd Missouri Light battery, along with

, Guibor's Battery, and the 3rd Missouri Light Battery participated in an artillery duel with the

. The batteries formed a wall of artillery fire on the

Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...

Battery for the First Missouri Brigade. On the next day, Cpt. Clark was among the State Guard and Confederate forces killed in action. Amid the end of the battle, Union troops then pressed a counterattack, forcing Clark's battery, as well as the rest of Price's division, to retreat. The captain was fatally struck by a Union

cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...

while preparing to limber his last piece of artillery under orders to retire.

King's Battery

After Cpt. Clark's death at

Elkhorn Tavern Elkhorn Tavern is a two-story, wood-frame structure that served as a physical center for the American Civil War Battle of Pea Ridge, also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, which was fought on March 7 and March 8, 1862, approximately five mil ...

, Captains William Clark Kennerly, Houston King, and James L. Farris commanded the battery. On March 17, 1862, the 1st Division of Gen. Price's Army of the West was reorganized, temporarily assigning Clark's battery to the Third Missouri Brigade under Brig. Gen.

Alexander E. Steen Alexander Early Steen ( 1827 – December 7, 1862) was a senior officer in the Confederate States Army. He commanded infantry in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War from 1861 until he was killed in action at the Battle of Pr ...

. The battery, in April 1862, accompanied the Army of the West across the Mississippi River to

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

. While in Memphis,

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

Houston King was elected captain on April 26, 1862, and the battery was afterwards known as "King's Battery". In May, the Army of the West was transferred to

Corinth, Mississippi Corinth is a city in and the county seat of Alcorn County, Mississippi, Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,622 at the 2020 census. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835. It lies on the state line with Tennessee. His ...

on the state line with Tennessee where the battery mostly served on outpost duty. With Cpt. Houston King assuming command of the battery, he led it through the various campaigns in areas east of the river, including

Corinth Corinth ( ; , ) is a municipality in Corinthia in Greece. The successor to the ancient Corinth, ancient city of Corinth, it is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Sin ...

and Iuka. King's battery engaged with Union forces at the

Battle of Iuka The Battle of Iuka was fought on September 19, 1862, in Iuka, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. In the opening battle of the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans stopped the advance of the Confederate Army of ...

on September 19, 1862.

Battle of Corinth

On September 28, Van Dorn's Army of West Tennessee was formed from elements of the Army of the West including the light artillery battery. The battery participated with the cavalry in the Battle of Corinth with minimal engagement, and subsequently aided in covering the Confederate retreat in October 1862. Following their defeat in Corinth, the men evaded capture by a detachment of Ulysses S. Grant's

Army of the Tennessee The Army of the Tennessee was a Union Army, Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. A 2005 study of the army states that it "was present at most of the great battles that became turning points ...

at the

Battle of Hatchie's Bridge The Battle of Hatchie's Bridge, also known as Battle of Davis Bridge or Matamora, was fought on October 5, 1862, in Hardeman County and McNairy County, Tennessee McNairy County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the ...

. Van Dorn's Army of West Tennessee and Price's Corps were merged on December 9, 1862, forming the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, known as the

Army of Mississippi There were three formations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. This name is contrasted against Army of ''the'' Mississippi, which was a Union Army named for the Mississippi River, no ...

under the leadership of Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton. Following its initial service in the Army of the West, Jackson's cavalry division was assigned to Maj. Gen.

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

. Ordered to report to Gen. Van Dorn at

Okolona, Mississippi Okolona is a city in and one of the two county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. It is located near the eastern border of the county. The population was 2,692 at the 2010 United States Census, ...

, the battery received two 12-pounder howitzers and two captured

3-inch ordnance rifle The 3-inch ordnance rifle, model 1861 was a wrought iron muzzleloading rifled cannon that was adopted by the United States Army in 1861 and widely used in field artillery units during the American Civil War. It fired a projectile to a distance o ...

s. With eight horses drawing each field carriage, the mounted cannoneers were trained to move in coordination with the cavalry.

Battle of Thompson's Station

After being reassigned to the

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was a Field army, field army of the Confederate States Army in the Western theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. Named for the Confederate States of America, Confederate state of Tenn ...

, the battery began frequently fighting in

Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the state's capital an ...

between

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...

and Columbia. King's battery engaged in combat at the

Battle of Thompson's Station The Battle of Thompson's Station took place during the American Civil War on March 5, 1863, in Williamson County, Tennessee. In a period of relative inactivity following the Battle of Stones River, a reinforced Union Army, Union infantry brigad ...

close to Spring Hill in March 1863. By March 5, Cpt. King had positioned four field guns as a defensive line facing the depot, south of Thompson's Station. The battery repulsed two charges of the Union Army. Under enemy fire, the Confederate artillery, bolstered by Van Dorn's main force, forced Col. John Coburn's infantry brigade to retreat, resulting in a Confederate victory. Two days after the murder of Van Dorn on May 7, 1863, the Missouri battery was assigned to the brigade of newly promoted Brig. Gen. John W. Whitfield under the cavalry corps of Lt. Gen.

Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was an List of slave traders of the United States, American slave trader, active in the lower Mississippi River valley, who served as a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Con ...

. Whitfield's brigade was one of three within Brig. Gen.

William Hicks Jackson William Hicks "Red" Jackson (October 1, 1835 – March 30, 1903) was a career United States Army officer who graduated from West Point. After serving briefly in the Southwest and resigning when the American Civil War broke out, he served in th ...

's cavalry division under Gen.

Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American military officer who served in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia declared secession from ...

, the commander of the Army of Relief.

Vicksburg Campaign

Ordered by the Department of Tennessee on May 26, 1863, Jackson's cavalry division with Whitfield's brigade including King's battery were sent to Northern Mississippi. They were ordered to support Gen. Joseph E. Johnston near

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city sits on the Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana), Pearl River and is locate ...

, as he attempted to relieve John C. Pemberton during the

Vicksburg Campaign The Vicksburg campaigns were a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi ...

by Maj. Gen.

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

. Upon arriving, Gen. "Red" Jackson's cavalry division established headquarters near

Canton, Mississippi The city of Canton is the county seat of Madison County, Mississippi, United States, and is situated in the northern part of the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area, metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson, Mississippi, Jackso ...

, on June 4, 1863, and the battery mustered 89 artillerymen. They were stationed in Vernon, from June 13 to 23, 1863. After Pemberton's surrender on July 4, 1863, Johnston's Confederate forces fell back toward Jackson and engaged the enemy until leaving for

Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...

on the 16th of the month. Following a reorganization on November 23, 1863, one section of Clark's Missouri Battery under Lt. Farris was assigned to Brig. Gen. George B. Cosby's brigade of Jackson's Division in Gen. Stephen D. Lee Cavalry Corps under Lt. Gen. Polk. By February 1864, Cosby's brigade was reassigned to the Department of East Tennessee and West Virginia, but the battery remained in the

Battle of Yazoo City

The section rejoined Clark's Missouri Battery, led by Cpt. Houston King, who remained with the Texas Cavalry Brigade once commanded by Whitfield and now under Brig. Gen. Sul Ross. The brigade was composed of the 3rd Texas, 6th Texas, 9th Texas, 27th Texas Cavalry regiments, and the 2nd Missouri Light Artillery Battery. Together with Brig. Gen. Robert V. Richardson's brigade, they battled Union forces along the

Yazoo River The Yazoo River is a river primarily in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is considered by some to mark the southern boundary of what is called the Mississippi Delta, a broad floodplain that was cultivated for cotton plantations before the Ame ...

in February and fought in the

Battle of Yazoo City The Battle of Yazoo City (March 5, 1864) was an engagement in Mississippi during a month-long Union expedition up the Yazoo River in the American Civil War. The Union force commanded by Colonel James Henry Coates repulsed an attack led by Confe ...

on March 5, 1864. After intense combat between Col. James Henry Coates' forces and the Texas and Tennessee Brigades, the Confederates defeated Col. Coates.

Atlanta Campaign

During the Atlanta campaign, the horse artillery battery, supported "Sul" Ross and other cavalry brigades under Brig. Gen. William H. Jackson's cavalry division assigned to Lt. Gen.

Leonidas Polk Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk (April 10, 1806 – June 14, 1864) was a Confederate general, a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and founder of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America, which separat ...

. Engaging in skirmishes throughout the summer of 1864, they faced the Union cavalry of

Hugh Judson Kilpatrick Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (January 14, 1836 – December 4, 1881) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of Major general (United States), major general. He was later the United States Ambassador, Minister ...

in August, which was targeting

Macon and Western Railroad The Macon and Western Railroad was an American railway company that operated in Georgia in the middle of the 19th century. Originally chartered as the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company in December 1833, it was not until 1838 that it opened for bus ...

Battle of Meridan

After its involvement in the Atlanta Campaign, the unit was dismounted and transferred to

Meridian, Mississippi Meridian is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, eighth most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, with a population of 35,052 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi, ...

to oppose Union Maj. Gen.

William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a General officer, general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognit ...

Meridian campaign The Meridian campaign or Meridian expedition took place from February 3 – March 6, 1864, from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Meridian, Mississippi, by the Union Army of the Tennessee, led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman. Sherman captured ...

in May 1864. During Sherman's march to the city of Meridian, Cpt. King operated on Sherman's

flank Flank may refer to: * Flank (anatomy), part of the abdomen ** Flank steak, a cut of beef ** Part of the external anatomy of a horse * Flank speed, a nautical term * Flank opening, a chess opening * A term in Australian rules football * The ...

and rear until retreating on May 17, 1864, when the Army of Mississippi reunited with the

near

Adairsville, Georgia Adairsville is a city in Bartow County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 4,878. Adairsville is approximately halfway between Atlanta and Chattanooga on Interstate 75. It is south of Calhoun, northe ...

. On June 10, 1864, an artillery battalion composed of the Missouri battery, Croft's Georgia Battery and Waties' South Carolina Battery served in the Cavalry division of the

Third Corps, Army of Tennessee The Third Corps was a designation used by several military formations in the Army of Tennessee during the American Civil War. In practice, most Confederate corps were referred to by their commanders' name and not by numerical designation. In its ...

, formerly known as the Army of Mississippi under Lt. Gen. Polk. Following Polk's death on June 14, 1864, the leadership was transferred multiple times. William Loring first assumed temporary command of the Third Corps then Alexander P. Stewart. Jackson's cavalry division was soon reassigned under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee by June 30, 1864. On July 10, the battery formed one section of Waties' Artillery Battalion with Croft's and Waties' batteries under the Third Corps of Stewart. Gen. Johnston was replaced by John B. Hood on July 9, 1864. On July 31, 1864, King's Missouri battery was placed under command of Col. Robert Franklin Beckham's horse artillery in Jackson's Cavalry Division of Maj. Gen. Wheeler's Cavalry Corps in Gen. Hood's Army of Tennessee, where it remained until the end of August. By September, they accompanied Hood's Army of Tennessee, launching the Franklin–Nashville campaign back into central Tennessee. Hood ordered the corps of Lt. Gen.

to replace the cavalry corps of

Joseph Wheeler Joseph "Fighting Joe" Wheeler (September 10, 1836 – January 25, 1906) was a military commander and politician of the Confederate States of America. He was a cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil ...

. After Forrest united with the Confederate Army of Tennessee on November 18, 1864, William H. Jackson's cavalry division was integrated into

Forrest's Cavalry Corps Forrest's Cavalry Corps was part of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and commanded by Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Formed during the summer of 1862, it took part in the various battles in the Western Theater ...

along with the horse artillery battalion.

Farris' Battery

In November 1864, following Cpt. Houston King's promotion to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

and his move

west West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...

, Lt. James L. Farris was elevated to

, and the newly equipped battery was renamed the "Farris' Battery, Missouri Light Artillery".

Battle of Spring Hill

On November 29, 1864, the Farris Battery of Jackson's division accompanied the

at the

Battle of Spring Hill The Battle of Spring Hill was fought November 29, 1864, at Spring Hill, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. The Confederate States Army, Confederate Army of Tennessee, commanded by Lieutenant General ( ...

. The officers of the battery provided artillery support to initiate the retreat of Maj. Gen.

John Schofield John McAllister Schofield (; September 29, 1831 – March 4, 1906) was an American soldier who held major commands during the American Civil War. He was appointed U.S. Secretary of War (1868–1869) under President Andrew Johnson and later serve ...

Army of the Ohio The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union Army, Union armies in the American Civil War. The first army became the Army of the Cumberland and the second army was created in 1863. History 1st Army of the Ohio General Orders No. 97 appointed ...

to Nashville. Despite the cavalry forces serving as the

advance guard The vanguard (sometimes abbreviated to van and also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. ...

during the march to

, artillery support was absent in the subsequent

Battle of Franklin The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, in Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin–Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate L ...

by order of Gen. Hood. The battery did not participate in the Franklin engagement.

Battle of Nashville

Meanwhile, Schofield combined his Ohio forces with Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas in Nashville. In the early days of December, the Army of Tennessee assumed a position facing the city. At the

Battle of Nashville The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting west of the coastal states in the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 18 ...

on December 15–16, 1864, Maj. Gen. Forrest's cavalry joined the Army of Tennessee, led by Lt. Gen. Hood, in combat against Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas's Union

Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creatio ...

. In the days following after the Confederate defeat in Nashville, Forrest commanded the rearguard composed of his cavalry corps and a few infantry brigades in skirmishes against the Union Army. The remaining elements of Hood's army eventually managed to escape across the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is a long river located in the Southern United States, southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. Flowing through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, it begins at the confluence of Fren ...

and regroup in Northern Mississippi. Toward the war's conclusion, along with the Confederate troops in the Department of Alabama and East Mississippi, the Farris' battery surrendered at

Citronelle, Alabama Citronelle is a city on the northern border of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 3,946. It is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area and is about north of Mobile. History The area ...

on May 4, 1865.Trigg Co, KY Veterans: Lest We Forget.... (2002). United States: Turner Publishing Company.

References

External links

* {{Missouri Confederate units navbox Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Missouri 1861 establishments in Missouri Artillery units and formations of the American Civil War Military units and formations established in 1861 1865 disestablishments in Alabama