Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-22
.[ETCHER ARTILLERY
HAS PROUD WAR RECORD
Takes Active Part in Battles for
Confedoracy on Soil Of
Virginia.
PARIS OF PEGRAM's BATTALION
Official Report, Missing From Rec
ords. Is Hero Made by Lieutenant
John Tyler Only Two Survivors
Left of Famous Warriors.
ny LIEUTENANT JOHN TYLER.

By Greenlee Davidson. OF Lexington,
Va. who was then an aide on the stan
OF Governor John Letcher; Thomas A.
Brander and John Tyler. OF Richmond,
both OF whom were then non-commis-
stoned officers in F Company, Twenty
First Virginia infantry
The battery went into commission
In February. 1862. with the following
ohicers: Captain. Greenlee Davidson:
senior hrst lieutenant. John Tyler:
junior first lieutenant. Thomas A.
6rander; senior second lieutenant.
Charles Ellis Munford. and junior sec
ond lieutenant william e. Tanner
The noncommissioned officers we're:
ALBERT Davidson. first sergeant: r. c.
Macmurdo. second sergeant; James e.
Tyler. third sergeant. and Tom Wor-
sham. fourth sergeant.
The officers OF the battery were COM
misstoned by Governor Letcher under
an act Of the convention that met in
1851 and passed the ordinance OF Sc
cession. providing for the organization
OF a battalion OF infantry and battery
of artillery to serve as State troops.
and was turned over to the Confederate
States government, at a later period OF
the same year. The battery went into
camp OF Instruction at Camp Lee, near
Richmond. under command OF Colonel
j. {. Shields. and remained there until
April 19. 1862. when II was ordered to
march. and went into camp at Guinea
Station on the RichmondI Fredericks-
burg and Potomac Railroad. but re-
NAMED there only a few days. when
II was moved towards Fredericksburg
and went into camp on the Telegraph
Road. nine miles from Fredericksburg
The composition of the battery was
two brass 6-pound guns, two I-inch
short Iron rihe guns, and two 3-inch
ii ~
mentioned were cast at the Tredegar
Iron Works from the metal in two long
French guns that were furnished by
the Marquis de Lafayette during the
Revolutionary War. and which had
been lying In the Virginia State Ar
mory since that time. These guns were
cast at the expense OF the officers of
the battery. and by them presented to
the battery. and are now at the Vir-
GINA Military Institute at Lexington.
The two 4-pound guns were smooth
bore and were taken from the Virginia
state Armory. where they had been
lying ever since the Revolutionary
War. They were sent TO the Trede-
gar Works and there rified before be-
ing used in the battery. The other two
5-inch guns were cast and mounted
At the Tredegar Iron Works.
The battery started out with nearly
800 men. composed principally of for
cigners. but with detachment of Vir-
sinians from Madison County. The
battery remained in camp near Fred
ericksburg several weeks, when II was
ordered back towards Richmond The
battery at this time was attached to
the brigade OF General Joseph r. An
derson. On moving back towards Rich
mond IT was reported that the enemy
was making an effort to intercept its
march. and the battery was ordered to
take position on the Telegraph Road
at high point commanding the road
for some distance: II was kept in po-
sftion until our infantry had passed,
when the march was resumed until
near Ashland. where we went into
camp.
The following day We marched TO
Richmond and took position on r.
Mechanicsville Turnpike. on the south
bank OF the Chickahominy River. While
we remained around Richmond the
various batteries which had been sil-
gly attached to brigades were now
massed in battalion formation. and our
battery was placed in the battalion
cmmanded by Lieutenant-Colonel r. L.
Walker.
This battalion later in the war was
commanded by Colonel w. L. Pegram
and made a wide reputation as Pc
grams Battalion.
In sending in our reports of the
fights around Richmond the report of
the Letcher artillery. which was sent to
General a. p. Hills headquarters. was
not sent in to the Confederate Con-
Eress. among the reports. In looking
over the reports of battles published
by Congress our battery report was the
only one missing. In justice to the
battery 1 append copy of the report.
Report OF I.etcher Artillery.
I'm obedience TO orders from Gen
eral A. p. Hills headquarters. IT July
10. and In the absence of Captain
Greenlee Davidson. 1 beg to make the
following report of the part taken in
the battles around Richmond by tn.
Letcher Artillery from June IS to July
I. inclusive. embracing the Battle of
Malvern Hill.
On June IS. the Battery. which had
been in camp on the west OF tho Me-
chanicsville Turnpike on the brow
of the hill overlooking the Chicka-
hoininy, was ordered to take position
on the hill east Of the road and open
fire upon the enemy on the opposite
bank of the stream. aiding the advance
and attack of our troops which COM
menced about o'clock in the after
noon Of that day. Firing was kept up
by our Tified guns until 1t was evil
dent that by the advance Of our troops
they might be endangered.
"On June 9th. the battery was or
dered TO move across the Chickahominy
and advance with our forces on that
side. The battery was under fire 4,
part of that day but was not put in
position to participate In the fighting.
That night we camped on the battle
field and were plentifully supplied with
provisions from the hastily left camps
of the enemy.
In June 2sth we moved with our
army across to the southern bank OF
the Chickahominy, but were not in
action either that day or tho two sue
ceeding days. but wero under fire at
the battle Of Frayser's Farm on the
goth.
"cn July /. the battery was parked
in tho early part ef the day in a hol-
low opposite the Malvern Hill and
about [: o'clock in the day was ordered |
into action relieving a battery of the
Richmond Howitzers. When the bat
terry was pulled out into the open field
fronting Malvern Hill 1t WIS found |
that the space was net sufficient to |
operate a six-gun battery at full dis
lance. sc our trent was reduced to |
half distance. The right section was
in command OF Senior First Lieutenant