The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-06-23
FIRST MINNESOTA BATTERY.
Johnny Comes Marching Home
From the War"

Johnny Comes Marching Home
From the War"
ARRIVAL In THE ClTG-THE HIS.
TORY OF THE BATTERY.
AND ITS ROSTER.
The First Minnesota Battery, Brew. Mai. w.
z. Clayton. commanding, arrived yesterday af:
ternoon on the Northern Light, having been
discharged from service under the recent order
mastering out all artillery in Sherman's army.
They left Washington on Monday evening, and
arrived here 154 strong.
HISTORY OF THE FIRST BATTERY.
Three and half years of active service would
require volumes almost to record, 80 we will
give but brief historical sketch of this brave
battery.
It was raised in the fall of 1861, and organiz-
ed at Fort Smelling, its muster-in dating Nov.
81, 1861. The original roster was as follows:
Captain-Emil Munich.
list Lieutenant, Sr.-William Pfaender
LIST Lieutenant, Jr.-T. e. PEBBLES,
I'd Lieutenant, Sr.-G F. Cooke.
I'd Lieutenant, Jr.-R. Fischer.
1t was soon sent to the front and reported
to Gen. Grant in East Tennessee. After being
at once armed and equipped it soon went into
active service. At Pittsburg Landing, or Shi-
lob, was its first BATTLE in which it lost eleven
men killed, wounded and missing. and thirty
horses. 1t was actively engaged in the siege
of Corinth, and at the battle of Corinth (Octo-
Der 8 and 4, 1862 lost gun, which was
spiked, but subsequently retaken from the re-
bels.
1t was afterwards in the engagement at
Black River Bridge, and Raymond, and in the
various movements at the siege of Vicksburg
At Vicksburg the order in reference to re-
enlistments reached them.
1t was rule in the 18th Army Corps, that if
three. fourths of the men fit for duty would re-
enlist they could go home and the 1st Bate
ry had the honor of so doing. Out of ifty.six
men all but fifteen re-enlisted. They left for
home February oath, and arrived in st. Paul
on March 10th. The roster then was:
Captain-William q Clayton.
LIST Lieutenant-Henry Hurter.
I'd Lieutenant-William Kolthe.
At that time the Battery had only fifty. six
men, and was reduced to a 4-gun battery.
Capt Clayton had come home on recruiting
furlough in December previous, however, and
secured enough recruits to fill it up to the
maximum, which it had on April 10, when it
left again for the front.
The 18th corps was now before Atlanta
mering away at that rebel stronghold. 7
LIST Battery was in the heat of the fierce battles
July 22d and 28th and after the fall of Atlanta,
accompanied Sherman on his memorable raid
1t was in the siege of Savannah. and at the
battles of Orangeburg, Columbia, Fayetteville,
Bentonville, &c. and finally arrived at Colds
boro. North Carolina, where the army paused.
In an engagement at Cheraw, s. C., while
on the raid, the 18th corps (Maj. Gen. Blair,
captured a gun battery, steel rifed cannon,
made by our "neutral British cousins in 1862.
At the request of Capt. Clayton, General Blair
presented one of these guns to the First Bat
terry as trophy and reward for their bravery,
the State. 1t was accordingly sent home, and
is now in the State Arsenal, the only trophy Of
the kind we have.
Of the forty-ive veterans who re-enlistei,
erery one has got back home alive and well
This closes the history of the First Battery.
SO far as we can write it. The future historian.
however, will do the brave men whose names
are on its roll, full honor. They have glo-
rious record, and now after three and half
years of war and hardship, have come home
to repose on their well-wOn laurels. All honor
to the brave artillerymen of the First Battery,
whose brazen throatsd guns SO often Numbered
death and destruction into the serried ranks of
the enemy, and poured the iron hail into their
crumblng and melting lines, until broken and
flying, victory perched on our standards.
ROSTER.
The following is the present roster of the
First Battery:
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Captain-Brevet Major VIM. z. Clayton. of
WinOna
Senior First sieutenant-Henry Hurter, of
Changwatana.
Junior First Lleutenant-F. L. Haywood, of
st. Anthony.
Senior Second Lieutenant-James Fall, of
Junior Second Lieutenant-Johu D. Ross. of
Plainview.
NON COMMISSIONED.
Seryents-Isaac W. Rush, Orderly; 1st, Thos,
W. Gordon; I'd, Joseph Gray; Sd, Thomas D. |
Christie; 4th, Rein Everts 9TH, Jesse Con.
uors 9Th, Joseph Coleman.
@. N. Sergemt-Chas. w. Southwick.
Gunners-1st gun, John North; I'd, William
reg; 9th, Albert Rogers; 9th, James Fisher.
Chiefs Of Caissons-1st, Murray Kelley; I'd,
Joseph O'Hara Sd, B. Foster; 4th, Douglas
r. Case; 9TH Marcus W. Watson 9th, Harri-
son Washburne.
Buglers-Nicholas Lousand end George W.
King.
Observation-Disclosures Pomeroy.
Artifcers-Wiliam 7. Scott and Charles
Folk.
THE BATTERY
Was marched to the Soldiers Home, but as it
was already almost full, only half of them
could be accommodated. The balance were
quartered at the Provost Guard Headquarters,
They will be mustered out to-day and receive
final payment.
SALUTE.
By special order of Adjutant General Peller,
published elsewhere, it will be seen that So.
Lutte is to be fired in honor of the First Battery
ard other troops.
CHILLY WEATHER.-The mercury stood
at 40 deg. Tuesday morning, and at 46 deg.
last evening at sunset. The weather was so
chilly during the day that some persons actu.
ally built fires in their offices and sitting