The National tribune., 1899-12-28
A RUSH ON A BATTERY.
Stirring Incidents of the Fighting at Cham
pion's Hill.

pun . aAl1
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Corp1
P Mitchell, of the 18th Ohio Battery, in
writing about the battle of Champion s
Hill, Miss, on May 49, 1863, certainly gives
fine description of the battle scene. As
regards the capture of the 9Th Miss. Battery
by the 11th Ind. and 29th Wis, this do moi
pretend to know; he may be all right as to
that. He also mentions that Comrade
Condor, 10th Ohio, saw the 32d Ohio capture
it. 1 will say that on that day on the ex-
treme right OF the Union army the 32d Ohio
did capture battery (the 1st Miss.) and Co.
f OF that regiment Immediately took pos
session of said battery, and thereafter was
known as the 26th ndp't Battery, Ohio
H. A. The brigade which made the charge
and captured the battery was Stephenson s
Brigade of Logan's Division, Seventeenth
Corps.
Three regiments OF the brigade partici-
pated that day in the charge: the 32d Ohio,
18th Ill.,, and Sth Wis; the 7th Mo. was
absent guarding the wagon-train. The
battery was on the extreme left of Pember-
tons army, and doing great damage to
Quinbys Division. Gen. John A. Logan
gave the order for the forward movement.
The line-of-battle was formed. The 32d
was placed in tho rear and center, between
the Sth Wis. and the 18th ILL.,, as a support;
the order, forward" was given, which was
Immediately obeyed, but in the movement
the Sth obliqued to the left and the 18th
obliqued to the right, leaving gap that the
32d Ohio was ordered to fill at quick time,
which they promptly obeyed, and increased
their speed TO a double-quick until within a
few rods of the battery, when the 32d made
left-obiique fire and the Sth Wis. made a
right-oblique fire into the battery and its
support, which entirely disabled them from
further damaging us.
We continued our doubie-quick charge
until t0nl- tho h1 1ttprV md most Of IFS
infantry support and even passed beyond
said point. in the rear of that portion OF the
rebel army that was engaging Quinby S
Division.
Upon that charge the tide of battle was
turned and Pemberton sounded his retreat
for Black River and FickSburg.
L will not say that the aforesaid brigade
deserves more honor or was composed OF
braVer men than others who fought on that
dreadful field, but / will say they did their
part OF the work and did it we'll After ii
was over John \. Logan came and gave
us a short address OF compliments and
treated us all as heroes.
will say for the credit OF that LIST Miss.
Art that they were brave men and stood
| by their guns to the last, and large por-
| ton of them were either killed or wounded
beside the guns.
| would like 10 see an item from some of
the survivors of that Mississippi battery in
I ii IL MA AIIoN-AiI lIkibINE t. l. MOItAO ttiSo
like to hear from some comrade OF Co. +,
which took charge OF said battery after
wards and did such good service IL the
army as an artillery company.
| do not want to take any honor from
those who took the 9th Miss. battery, but
want it known that the 32d Ohio was in that
dreadful conflict. if they were q mile away
from where Comrade Mitchell was.
can also call TO mind when that battery
opened fire on US with their canister and
grapeshot; how Comrades j. W. Berten.
Cyrus Root, and number of others were
wounded of my company and also how
Hamline Abbot and others were killed on
that day while on that charge. These
things are very vividly impressed on my
memory Our Color Bearer, Theodore f.
Fisher did his work heroically in carrying
the colors and planting them down at the
cannon's mouth at the battery, always i'll
advance of the command, waving the flag
to encourage his comrades, and to defy the
enemy in the thickest of the battle. He
later received medal of honor.
There were six pieces in the battery taken
by the 32d Ohio.
There is no doubt this was the most COM
plete and decisive charge made during the
campaign to the final capture of Vicksburg
There were many other grand charges
made on said campaign, but the loss was
greater and the victory not so complete.
l also agree with Comrade Mitchell, on
the dolefUl night Of that dreadful day, as |
was on the picket-line that night, and could
hear the cries of the wounded as they called
for water and help or were groaning in the
throes OF death. 1t came from both the
Union and Confederate soldiers. who some
times lay beside each other.-THOMAS p.
CONNER, Co. ii, 32d Ohio Philomath,
Ore.