No. 142.
Report of Capt. Giles J. Cockerill, Battery D, First Ohio Light
Artillery,
of operations November 22-December 1, 1864.
HDQRS. BATTERY D,.FIRST OHIO LIGHT ARTILLERY,
Near Columbia,
Tenn., December 30, 1864.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of
operations of the batteries of Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, from
the 22d day of November, 1864, on which day they moved from Pulaski, Tenn., to
the 1st day of December, 1864, at which time they arrived at Nashville, Tenn.:
Late in the day, November 21, 1864, I received orders to
have the batteries of the division in readiness to move early the following
day, 22d instant. In compliance, I notified the commanding officers of the
batteries — Fifteenth and Twenty-third Indiana and Battery D, First Ohio Light
Artillery — of the division of the import of the order. Agreeably to your
order, the batteries marched on the 22d instant, taking the road leading to
Lynnville, Tenn.; reached Lynnville about 1 p.m.; went into camp short distance
out from the town. Remained here until 2 p.m. of the day following, when I
received orders to prepare to move at once. This order was immediately
transmitted to Captain Harvey and Lieutenant Wilber, commanding, respectively,
the Fifteenth and Twenty-third Indiana Batteries, and shortly thereafter the
batteries were in line of march in direction of Columbia, Tenn., marching until
7 p.m., and when distant about six miles from Columbia, where they halted for
the night. 3 a.m. the day following, 23d instant, I received orders to have the
batteries in readiness to move immediately. This order I at once transmitted to
the battery commanders of the division, and soon thereafter they were on the
road marching in direction of Columbia, Tenn. When near Columbia I left the
Lynnville and Columbia pike and crossed to the Mount Pleasant pike, which I
reached about 8 a.m., and just as the advance of the enemy's cavalry was
nearing town (Columbia), driving before them our own cavalry. I at once placed
one section of Battery D, under Lieutenant Vincent, on the left of and near the
pike, near the residence of Mrs. Wilson, and 600 or 700 yards in advance of the
main line, and in rear of this section, on the main line, I stationed the
Twenty-third Indiana Battery. Just to the right of the pike, and on the same
line with the Twenty-third Indiana Battery, I stationed the other section of
Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Artillery, under Lieutenant Reed, and still
farther to the right I placed the Fifteenth Indiana Battery, on the main line.
These positions they maintained until the night of the 25th instant, when, in
obedience to orders, I withdrew them to the opposite side of the river (Duck)
and placed them in park. While in position on south side of the river there
were expended on the 25th instant a total of 198 rounds shell — 84 by Fifteenth
Indiana Battery and 114 rounds by Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light
Artillery. During the 26th and 27th of November the batteries remained in park.
On the morning of the 28th instant the batteries were again placed in positions
which were, in my opinion, well calculated to dispute the crossing of the river
by the enemy — the Twenty-third and one section of the Fifteenth Indiana
Batteries in such positions as to command the ferry or ford; the other section
of Fifteenth Indiana Battery farther to the right and near the residence of
Mrs. Brown; Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, to their left, on
the line with Colonel Casement's brigade, commanding other crossing of the
river. During the engagements of the 29th instant one section of Battery D,
First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, under Lieutenant Reed, was moved to
different parts of the line and used with good effect at different times,
silencing the guns on the enemy's extreme left. In these positions there were
expended on the 28th and 29th instant a total of 834 rounds shell, 40 rounds
canister, and 5 rounds case-shot — by Fifteenth Indiana Battery, 333 rounds
shell and 40 rounds canister; by Twenty-third Indiana Battery, 297 rounds
shell; and by Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, 204 rounds shell
and 5 rounds case-shot. In obedience to orders the batteries were withdrawn
early in the night of 29th instant, and immediately took up line of march on
Columbia and Franklin pike, reaching Franklin 7 a.m. 30th instant. Crossed the
river Big Harpeth, and one battery (Battery D, First Ohio Volunteer Light
Artillery) was placed in Fort Granger, from which position it expended 160
rounds shell and 3 rounds case-shot. The Fifteenth and Twenty-third Indiana
Batteries were placed in park after crossing the river, where they remained
during the day. About 2 a.m. December 1 moved out, in obedience to orders, in
direction of Nashville, where I arrived 12 m. December 1, 1864.
I am, sir, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. J. COCKERILL,
Capt. and Chief of
Arty., Third Div., Twenty-third Army Corps.
Capt. THEO. Cox,
Assistant Adjutant-General,
Third Div., 23d Army Corps.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 431-2
