First Independent, or Simmonds' Battery. -- Capts., Seth J.
Simmonds, Daniel W. Glassie, First Lieuts., James M. Kerr
George Hattersly, Robert C. Steen, Arthur Erenburgh, James W.
Conine Leonard Magnos; Second Lieuts., Frederick A. Danie,
Hamilton B. White, Robert Johnson.
This battery was organized as Co. E, 1st Ky. infantry, at Camp
Clay, Ohio, in 1861, and detached as artillery Oct. 31, 1861,
by the secretary of war at the instance of Gen. Rosecrans then
commanding in western Virginia.
It was mustered into the U. S. service (as Co. E, in the 1st
Ky. infantry) on June 3, 1861, by Maj. S. Burbank, 1st U. S.
infantry. It was assigned to the Department of West Virginia,
and participated in all the engagements in that department.
It was originally commanded by Capt. Simmonds until March,
1864, when Capt. Glassie assumed command and under him it
veteranized at Charleston, W. Va. This battery served with
great credit in all the campaigns in western Virginia in the
early part of the war and later was engaged in some of the
great battles of the Army of the Potomac.
It was at South Mountain and Antietam and received special and
numerous mention in the reports of those battles. It
participated in the following battles in which loss was
sustained: Tyler's mountain, Horse Shoe bend, Cotton mountain,
Gauley bridge, Wolf creek Cloyd mountain, South Mountain, New
River bridge, Lynchburg, Salem Va., Frederick and Antietam,
Md.
It was mustered out at Louisville Ky., July 10, 1865.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 359
*******************************************************************************
Nashville, TN after battle report:
No. 88.
Reports of Capt. Theodore S. Thomasson, First Battery Kentucky Light
Artillery, of operations November 23-December 4, 1864, and December 16,
1864--January 16, 1865.
HDQRS. FIRST BATTERY KENTUCKY LIGHT ARTILLERY, Nashville,
Tenn., December 4, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my
battery from the 23d of November to the 4th of December, 1864, inclusive:
The battery left Pulaski, Tenn., at 5 p.m. November 23, 1864, and marched
to within one mile of Lynnville, where it arrived at 11 p.m., and encamped
for the night. At 4 a.m. the 24th the battery left camp and marched to
Columbia, Tenn., arriving there at 1 p.m., and parked on the right of the
Pulaski pike, about three-quarters of a mile from the railroad. At 4 p.m. it
moved into camp near the railroad round-house, where it remained until 11
a.m. of the 25th, when it moved into position on the line of the Second
Brigade, First Division, Fourth Army Corps, on the Shelbyville pike, about
one mile from town. At 10.30 p.m. it moved with the First Division, Fourth
Army Corps, to the northwest of the town and encamped near the fort. At
8 a.m. of the 26th it moved into position on the line of the Third Brigade,
First Division, Fourth Army Corps, on the hill on the right of the fort. At
dark it moved on the Santa Fe pike and encamped about three-quarters of a
mile from town for the night.
At daylight of the 27th it moved back to the position on the hill which it had
occupied the day previous. At 6 p.m. the battery withdrew from this
position, crossed the river at the ford, and moved one mile and a half on the
Nashville pike and encamped until 8 a.m. of the 29th, when it moved into
position on the right of the Nashville pike, where it remained until dark and
then marched to Spring Hill. Remained in park there until 3 a.m. of the
30th, when it marched for Franklin, Tenn., arriving there at 9 a.m. of the
30th, and went into park with the Artillery Brigade about half a mile from
the public square. At 12 m. one section, under command of Lieut.
Irwin, moved into position on the left of the Columbia pike about
three-quarters of a mile from the public square. At 2 p.m. the other section,
commanded by Lieut. Sinclair, moved into position on the right of
Lieut. Irwin's section.
At 4 p.m. of the 30th the battery opened fire with percussion-shell on a
column of the enemy forming on a ridge about 1,700 yards in front of the
battery. A division of our troops had previously occupied this ridge, but
were then falling back to the main line. The enemy formed and advanced
upon the battery, and our retiring troops being between the enemy and the
battery, it could not use canister until the enemy had advanced to within a
short distance of the works. Our retreating troops came over the
breast-works in considerable disorder, closely pressed by the enemy, and a
portion of the troops supporting the battery giving away about this time, the
cannoneers were driven from their posts. In a short time, however, a brigade
in reserve charged forward and drove the enemy back and retook the battery.
The cannoneers were then collected together, the limbers of the caissons
brought up, and a steady fire of canister and shell kept up for about two
hours, and then an occasional fire of shell for about two hours more, and
then the battery ceased firing. At about 12.m. the battery withdrew and moved
across the river and halted on the Nashville pike about 400 yards from the
ford.
The following is a list of casualties at the battle at Franklin, Tenn.*
The following is the amount of ammunition expended, viz: Hotchkiss
canister, 48 rounds; Hotchkiss case shot, 15 rounds; Hotchkiss
percussion-shell, 46 rounds; total, 109.
At about 3 a.m. of the 1st of December the battery marched for Nashville.
It arrived at Camp Andy Johnson, three miles from Nashville, at about 10
a.m. and encamped. At 1 p.m. it moved into camp near Fort Negley and
remained there until the afternoon of the 3d, when it moved into position
on a hill on the front of the First Division, Fourth Army Corps, on the left
of the Granny White pike, where it is now posted.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THEO. S. THOMASSON,
Capt. Kentucky Light Artillery, Cmdg. First Battery.
Lieut. GEORGE W. JAMES,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
-----
HDQRS. FIRST BATTERY KENTUCKY LIGHT ARTILLERY,
Huntsville, Ala., January 16, 1865.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my
battery from the 16th day of December, 1864, to the 31st day of December,
1864, inclusive:
The battery left its position on the line of works occupied by the First
Division, Fourth Army Corps, on the left of the Granny White pike, at
Nashville, Tenn., about 8.30 a.m. of the 16th ultimo, and went into park
with a portion of the Artillery Brigade, Fourth Army Corps, on the Franklin
pike near Fort Negley. At 10 a.m. it was ordered into position on the right
of the Franklin pike about-miles from the city, and at 11 a.m. opened fire
upon the works of the enemy upon- Hill, about 1,200 yards in front of the
battery. At 12.30 p.m. the battery advanced about 300 yards and took up a
position on the right of the pike, where it again opened fire upon the battery
of the enemy in the works on--Hill, about 900 yards in front. The firing
here was steadily kept up until sundown, when the enemy's works having
been carried, the battery ceased firing, moved forward and went into camp
on the left of the Franklin pike about seven miles from Nashville. The
battery sustained no loss in men or horses during the action.
The following is the amount of the ammunition expended: Hotchkiss solid
shot, 5; percussion-shell, 167; time shell, 117; case-shot, 272; total, 561.
Miscellaneous: Paper fuses, 400; friction primers, 850.
At 9 a.m. of the 17th the battery left camp and moved to Harpeth River at
Franklin, where it camped for the night. At 7 a.m. of the 18th the battery
left camp, moved out on the Columbia pike. On the 19th it moved to
Rutherford's Creek and camped on the left of the pike with the Artillery
Brigade, Fourth Army Corps. On the 21st the battery left camp at 5 a.m.,
crossed Rutherford's Creek, and camped one
mile from Columbia on the right of the pike. At 10 p.m. of the 22d it left
camp, crossed Duck River, and camped in the edge of Columbia on the right
of the Pulaski pike, where it remained until 12 m. of the 23d, when it left
camp, and marched by the Pulaski pike, About six miles from Columbia one
section of the battery, commanded by Lieut. Sinclair, was ordered
forward and opened fire upon the enemy's cavalry. The firing was kept up
for about two hours. The battery sustained no loss in men or horses.
The following is an account of ammunition expended: Hotchkiss solid shot,2;
percussion-shell, 25; time shell, 11; case-shot,2; total, 40. Miscellaneous:
Friction primers, 60; paper fuses, 13.
After the firing had ceased the battery camped for the night on the right of
the pike seven miles from Columbia. At 8 o'clock of the 24th the battery left
camp, and marching by the Pulaski pike, camped for the night one mile
south of Lynnville. On the morning of the 25th instant [ultimo] it left camp
and reached Pulaski about 2.30 a.m. [26th], where it halted on the square for
two hours. At 5 p.m., having received four pairs of horses and four sets of
harness from Battery M, Fourth U. S. Artillery, three pieces and four caissons
with eight horses each, and the forge, moved out on the Florence road,
leaving the transportation behind. One piece and the battery wagon were also
left for repairs on the carriages, the axle-trees being broken. The battery
consumed the greater part of the night in gaining the top of the hill three
miles from Pulaski, where it camped. About 9 o'clock of the 26th the battery
left camp and camped for the night at Doctor Roberts' house on the hill six
miles from Pulaski. About 8 a.m. of the 27th it left camp and marched to
Sugar Creek, where it camped for the night. At 8 a.m. of the 28th it left
camp and marched to Lexington, Ala., where it remained until the 31st
ultimo. The piece left at Pulaski for repairs with our wagon rejoined the
battery on the 30th instant [ultimo]. At 8 a.m. of the 31st the battery
marched by the Athens road and camped for the night within three miles of
Elk River.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THEO. S. THOMASSON,
Capt. Kentucky Light Artillery, Cmdg. First Battery.
Lieut. GEORGE W. JAMES,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
-----
HDQRS. FIRST BATTERY KENTUCKY LIGHT ARTILLERY,
Huntsville, Ala., January 18, 1865.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my
battery from the 1st day of January, 1865, to the 16th day of January, 1865,
inclusive:
On the 1st day of January, 1865, the battery was in camp about three miles
from Elk River. At about 12.30 p.m. of that date it left camp and marched
to Elk River, where it went into camp near the ford. It remained in camp
there until the morning of the 4th instant, when it moved about 10 a.m.,
crossed the river, and marched to Athens, where it camped for the night. At
8 a.m. of the 5th the battery left camp and marched to Indian Creek, where
it camped for the night. At 7 a.m. of the 6th the battery left camp and
marched to Huntsville, Ala., where it went into camp with the Artillery
Brigade, Fourth Army Corps, near the college building south of town, where
it has since remained.
On the 8th instant eight pairs of horses, with harness and drivers, and one
six-mule team, were sent back to Pulaski to assist in bringing up the batteries
left there, and also to bring up the battery wagon and transportation of the
battery. On the 13th instant they rejoined the battery.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THEO. S. THOMASSON,
Capt. Kentucky Light Artillery, Cmdg. First Battery.
Lieut. GEORGE W. JAMES,
Acting Adjutant-Gen.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. LVII.] CAMPAIGN IN NORTH ALA. AND MIDDLE TENN. PAGE 327-93
[Series I. Vol. 45. Part I, Reports, Correspondence, Etc. Serial No. 93.]
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