Arizona republican., 1892-10-27

south. They had been forced into the
United States federation against theft
will and protest when Napoleon bar.
tered the magnificent empire of the Mis-.
sissippi valley to the republic for song.
A turn OF hand in 1861 might have
placed Louisiana independent Of both
the Union and the Confederacy, but the
hand didn't turn, and the Pelican State
cast her fortunes in with Dixie As a sort
of left over from previous war outfits,
New Orleans in 1861 boosted of a crack sol.
der company, big with past glories cling
ing to its name, IL nothing more. That was
the Washington artillery, dating from
1910. 1t was originally the artillery com.
pany OF the Washington regiment, legion
Of infantry, artillery and cavalry. In the
Mexican war the artillerists served under
Taylor on the Rio Grande, and afterward,
until 1861, the company was kept up at the
expense of it's members and was the peer
Of any citizen troop in the south.
When the state decided to paddle its
own canoe in the secession frncas, the
Washingtons stepped to the front as the
men for the hour. Cadets" "Rifes,"
"Grays," "Chasseurs," Guards" and
other schoolboy bapds with picturesque
names rallied to the lead Of the cannon.
GERS. The commander OF the Washingtons
was J. b. Walton, and when the tocsin
from faroff Virginia sounded along the
gulf shore he rendered jeff Davis govern.
ment battalion Of $50 men with nine can.
non ready 10 take the field. The forma.
ton was four companies or batteries, and
while there were not guns enough TO go
around, and such as there were were o.
ancient pattern, the deficiency was soon
made up from captured cannon.
In the Confederate service batteries Were
specially designated by the names Of the
commanders, and these necessarily changed
often; hence the Washingt,-ls were known
to friends and enemies by various titles,
yet the name Washington artillery chung
to them, and detachments claiming il were
so numerous that the corps seemed ubiqui.
tous, like the troopers Of Mosby, Morgan
and Forrest.
The first fight Of the Washingtons was
at Bull Run One detachment had duel
across the stream at Blackburn's ford on
July IS with Benjamin's famous United
States battery, and won so easily that the
men thought the war would be picnic for
them fighting at long range. They changed
their minds, however, in the battle of the
21st. The battalion was split in five de.
tachments to guard the fords and hills with
their bulldogs, and so about every Union
soldier on that field can say that he fought
the Washington artillery. They were at
times outshot by our regulars, charged
upon by volunteers, stampeded by the panic
that our flank movement carried into Beau.
regards lines; but they rallied again when
Johnston's succoring column dashed ur
from the Manassas railway and turned the
tide at stroke Then Walton had gath
cred his guns on Henry Hill Beauregard
rode to the spot and exclaimed within hear.
ing Of the men: Hold this position and
the day is ours. Three cheers for Louisi.
anap Creole pride and creole blood needed
no other spur than Beauregard's appeal,
and the Washingtons cheered and fought
their guns and held the hill, history tells
us with what result.
The chief feature OF the corps device Of
the Washington artillery was the head OF
u fierce tiger. showing his ugly fangs, ready
TO mangle his prey. This was seen every.
where at Bull Run on the guidons Of each
section, and in the badly scared state OF
mind Of most people who jostled against
Walton's guns it probably seemed as
though the Bull Run thickets were tigef
lairs. Bob Wheat's Louisiana battalion OF
infantry got away with the name Tigers
or it would doubtless have rested where il
belonged and considerable history would
turn on the doings Of the Tiger cannon.
GERS" instead of the Washington artillery.
The United States batteries opposed to
the Washingtons at Bull Run were the
famous ones Of Ricketts, and Griffin. The
creole boys did so well that the old army
generals on their side showered them with
praises and their government took up the
cue. The rank Of colonel of artillery was
created for Walton, and he was made chief
of that branch Of service in the Army OF
Virginia, his battalion being placed in re.
serve.
During the battles in front Of Richmond
in 1862 the Washington artillery enjoyed
its holiday in reserve and scarcely kept its
1884,
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