The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-24

battery was at Harpcr's Ferry, where
It was sent to queii the John Brown
raid. At this time the battery had
not been uniformed. 1t was there
that the Howtzers first met the man
who was destined to become their
famous commander In the war be-
tween the states-Col. Robert r.. lee,
who was then the Federal officer in
command OF the post
TIL. first guns the battery used
were naval or boat howitzers. They
were small brass guns, mounted on
iron carriages curiously constructed.
and on the occasion of the first
para le the guns were drawn
through the streets by ropes manned
by the cannoneers. 1t was from
these guns that the organization de
rived its name, When the battery
was called INTO active service, the
gun OF course. Were charged. hut
the command still retains the name
Of 'Howitzers-"
When the question OF secession
was being asitated. the battery be-
gan to increase in numbers, and when,
mustered into service, on the 2lst OF
April 1851, the membership had in
creased 10 325 men. About that time
they were sent down the river to re-
peal the "pawnee." an armed vessel
OF the United states Navy, which was
SUPPOSED II be about TO attach Rich
mond
The battery was first quartered in
the basement of the Spottswood
hotel and on the 26th day of April
1861, cent into artillery camp at
/ Richmond College, where. in conse-
quence of the increased mem hership.
it was formed into a battalion. with
| George ". Randolph rs major, under
| the command of Colonel afterwards
( General) j. r. Magruder
/ COMMANDS FIRST BATTERY.
The First Battery was commanded
! by CAPTAIN John G.. Shields; first
lieutenant, DR. w, p. Palmer: after
wards captain. Second Lieutenant
/ Edward s, Mccarthy, afterwards
made captain. who was killed at
Cold Harbor in June, 1864.
At this time John Fsteu Cook. the
I celebrated novelist, was third ser
geant in the First Battery. First Ser
geant X NJ. Anderson succeeded
! Captain Mccarthy. and retained
i command of the battery until the
close Of the war.
| The second battery was formed
under the command OF Captain j.
Thompson Brown. who afterwards
rose 10 the rank of Colonel OF artit~
lery, and was killed in battle on the
s'tNt'A y
was sent to Gloucester Point. on tho
York River, where, with their guns
on the beach OF sand. they engaged
with and drove off a gunhoat called
! tho Yankee
The Third battery was formed under
the command of Captain Robert c
Standard, was ordered TO Yorktown
where on the 26th of May, 1851. II
was reunited With the Second bat
terry, under command of Major George
1 w. Randolph, Captain Stanard died
/ October. 2, 1861. and was succeeded
by Edgar Mosely, who was killed near
! Petersburg, in 1864.
Al Battle of Manassas.
Tho First battery, under command
of Captain John c. shields. was in
the latter part of April. 1861. sent. to
Manassas and assigned to the First
brigade. under command Of General
I Bonham, and engaged under him in
lthe Great battle known as First
! Manassas After that fight 1t was
transferred 10 General I,ot{gstreets
brigade. and again transferred to
General Evans hrigade. under whom
il participated in that hill,nnt Con
fedorate victory at Balls duff, near
i-ceShurg. va.
The Second and Third batteries
made their first and. at the same time
their lasting reputation as soldiers Al
Zig Bethel under command OF Mag
ruder and u. II. Hill All three bat
teries reached Appomattox--the first
and third with their guns, and the
second with 1huskets, having fought
their way as infantry from Petersburg
where their guns were left in the
trenches for want of horses To draw
them to Appomattox: hence the bat
talon writes it's history from "Bethel
to Appomottax". Nearly all of the