Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-12-19
THE PENINSULA
BATTERY HISTORY
CAPT. BRIGHT GIVES INTER
ESTING ACCOUNT.
The First To Enlist for En-
tire War.


gentlemen commenced at once 10 raise |
an artillery company. Mr.. Cosnahsn.
who was elected captain. was a South |
Csrolinan. who was educated at Vii |
liam and Mary College. and married n
daughter ST DR.. Waller. DE was a law
yer Of sne attachments. and withan a |
most genial gentleman of high cosrsse. |
Mr.. VIA. B. Jones was the clerk of War
wick county. aud a most inreEestinR
companion. the life of any scrowd that
be might enter and his nick name, II. c,
is still something 10 copjure with where
hrst Lieutenant. Mr.. Orlando SHIELDS
was from Yorktown. the son of Or.
Shields OF that place. and who would
have distinguished himself had he not
been called away so early-just II
months after the war began. This brave
gentleman and second lieutenant with
the gallant Capt. ]. B. Cosnahan dSed
at about the same time of camp lever
contracted ia the trenches at Lee Mill,
where Gen. Aagruder with eleven thou
sand men of all arms was holding at
bay Gen Mcclellan with one hundred
and twenty thousand in line eight
miles long. One battery called the PENN
suia Artillery was the extreme right ad-
vanced battery. have in my posses-
sion printed copy of the vote c'fthsnks
from the Legislature Of Virgiu5a 20 the
/ gallant eleven thousand that held the
Union Army IN cheek until Gen. Joe Iohu-
stou reached the Peninsula. Our battery
was rs days under Ere. We fought on
the FIRST day Grifius Celebrated L. :.
Battery of Regulars. They had six guns.
We had three One 12-poupd gun. which
] I commanded. blew up oDe OF Griffius
caisons. killing many Of bis men and
horses. This gun was aimed bv Dauy
Cruup. who had been detailed 10 make
mp our complement ofgunuers. Corpor-
al Brown pulled the lanyard. a Williams
burg member Of the company. We were
mustered in early IN May. 1861, and our
Government had no cannon, no clothes and
40 rztions for Us. but they sent as some
old smooth bore u1uskets. aud offered
20 uniform the company on condition
that thew would at sign for the war
This they did and up 10 the present
have heard OF but this one company
that joioed tor the war at the very FIRST.
Capt. Cosuahan said il Was mistake
70 worry about the length Of service.
because six months would see us victor
ious with not an enemy in the field. One
wear afterwards when our army in front
OF MCCLELLAN was exciting new officers
IN many commands he said 10 me:
> Bright. you saw farther than any Of rs
and YOU were night. Lieut. Shields had
been sent back 70 Williamsburg where
he died iu the Female Academy, which
then stood where the Old Capitol OF
Virginia used TO stand. Lieut.. Jones
had accepted a position of quarter mas
ter in CabeI's Battalion with the rank
OF captain. and Capt. Cosnahan had
gone home very i'll. But three tinles he
= got patched up a little and down hs
would come and take Command unn
: the FEVER would get the upper banC
again. This really killed him, being tos
much interested IN the cause tor which
a We were hahting 10 allow himself tim
20 get well. Bat twas a gallant dealt
and this Is my tribute. His second wife
d sow living in Richmond, nursed hir
> faithfully 20 the end
Nov was just twenty-oDe and !
command Of the right advanced batter
ed OF Cen. JohnstOn's army. receiving nea
be Iy every morning from headquartei
q. which were IN the Lee House now ealse
~ Lee HaIl) a Communication from one
nt Johnston's staff reading in this wa
xe Keep constant watch and guard
ne the right advanced battery is capture
h. Gen. Johnston's flank Is turned"
So could not sleep day os night. AT day q
Wisconsin sharp-shooters over on q
bill were pegging away at as. HOLD I
your hat and through IL came bulk
They pat hole through our coffee p
while coffee was 10 IL on the camp f
On aud sitting by IL waiting for breskfa'
'on They put another through our demuol
ne daring the frst days Of the fight. 10
l pint, gain gallons. Al night cou
NOT sleep for visiting the picket liz
R.ahter's Battalion THAT was Char
~ Dre~'s. he was killed in any carly 81
usish) supported ia. until the news