The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-30
A CONFEDERATE BATTERY.


The Boy of Richmond.
The Parker Battery (Confederate)
Association, of Richmond, Va, have
made a good selection of q historian.
The battery was largely composed Of
boys, who required written permission
from their parents to enlist. 1t was
organized in the spring of 1862, and
after service, East and West, saw the
last of the war at Appomattox. It's
story is given to the world in q book
in which the lights and shades of war
are genuinely mingled. The realities
OF fighting and marching with u bat
terry are doubtless MS graphically pic
tured here as in any volume to be
found. The author was not q seces-
s%ionist, and his mother wept when
she saw the flag OF the United States
hauled down in Richmond. He en-
listed, however, because he was q Vir-
ginian, a distinction that in turn
would have given trouble to the
Southern Confederacy if it had sue
ceeded in it's war for separation. The
boy battery had it's baptism by fire
at the second battle of Manassas,
NhSiC IL NtIS poSlCul ~ lllltol elSlitSSll
guns between Jackson and L~ongstreet.
The guns broke one of the most
dangerous OF the Union infantry
charges, that OF Porter with about
five thousand men. The fight at this
point lasted hall an hour. Lee had
placed the guns so thickly there that
the cannoneers almost elbowed each
other. every MAJ was at his post.
No talking; no ducking of heads. All
a intense earnestness. The face
was flushed; the eyes full; and the arm
stronger than is wont, TWAS astrug-
gle for life. 1t seemed that the very
heavens were ablaze; or that two
clouds, surcharged with electricity
and waited by opposing winds, had
met in terrific struggle"
The battery had several men wound
ed in that battle. At Antietam it
passed through fearful ordeal, losing
twenty-one men in kille and wound
ed. When the Confederate army fell
back across the Potomaca at Sheperds-
town the author noticed General Lee
standing at the ford giving directions
even to transfers. Soon after that
campaign the livingin the Confederate
T. ollilS bCttJitlC 1853 Glalboli W.. oulf
! commissioned officers had servants.
The commissary issued little except
fresh beef.
The battery hadbut oneman wound
ed at the battle of Fredericksburg.
During the following winter, the Con
federates had many amuscments in
their winter-camp. The private
soldiers fought SNOWFALL battles; but
M OF their most relished diversions,
was to yell a. citizens in tall hats:
"Come down out of that tall hat, and
join the soldier-boys, and help whip
the Yanks," was the cry. A hundred
voices would take up the shout with
"come down! come down. l know you
are up there, l see your legs"
The author was captured, with
about a third OF his company, by
Sedgwick's charge at charlottesville
The prisoners were treated well, and
in three weeks, having been exchanged
were back at the front.
At Gettysburg, Parker's battery was
amongthe seventy-tiv guns with which
Lee rained iron upon the Union posi-
ton as q prelude to Pickett's great
charge upon the heights. Lees artil
lery suffered heavily, during this bonn
bardment, and expended nearly al
their ammunition. Parker's battery
alone fired LAP rounds. It's loss
was three killed, and ten wounded
The retreat from Gettysburg was be
gun in torrents of rain, but Lees army
was held well in hand, and pursuit O
it, even by fresh troops, could MOI
have been pushed rapidly.
When Longstreet was ordered tt
Georgia, Parker's Battery went will
the two divisions, but did not arriv,
in time to take part in the battle O
Chickamauga. The battery was post
ed on Lookout Mountain for q time
A Union picket in front Of them wa,
heard n night to remark tina
things went wrong at Chickamauga
but "as soon as Longstreet goes ava,
we'll give you the d-dest whipping
you yer had in your life" The bat
terry moved with Longstreet to, Eas
Tennessee, where the living was thar
and the fighting without tangible re
suits. More than that, the Confeder
ates were for the first time hostile
The men ofthe region were either hid
den in the mountains or were in tn
olACl Gtlillys IIlC NojIICil "ClG SplIll
ed, not to say saucy. During an en-
gagement near Beams Station avon
an came out of q house and ordere'
the Parker gunners to 'move then
things out OF my yard" AT this mo
ment a gunner's leg vas struck by
piece of shell, and his pocket boo.
thrown out upon the ground. H
said: "Well, l always thought tn
Yankees were mighty smart fellows
but I didn't think they could pick
fellows pocket q mile Off" 1t wa
not considered safe for a Cor
federate to sleep in an Eas
Tennessee cabin about that time
The battery returned to Lee on tn
apidan and remained with him t
ne close OF the war In the Wilder
less artillery could not be useG
and the battery was not engaged
During this campaign, whentheince
SAINT fighting and marching had trune
night into day, and we had hardl
time to eat, we We're joined by the bal
J TALON of heavy infantry which ha
been stationed for a long time in TIL
, defense line of Richmond. They ha
seen no active service, and one of GU
boys asked a private Oh UnlS DattallO
how. long they would stay with III
, Il don't know vas the sincere repl,
! but we can't stay over Sunday any
how, for we didn't bring any clea
, clothes with u.s."
"Soon after the battle of Cold Ha,
: Dor, on the Sd of June, 1864, l sd
? General Lee. He was riding slowl
past our battalion, which had halle
5 on the roadside. He was apparent
in deep abstraction, his head slight
! bowed, and eyes seeming not to rang
!, beyond his horses name. He himse
was probably then in doubt as toll
next move OF his great antagonis