Summary:
Col. S. Crutchfield was Chief of Artillery in the Staunton Artillery of the Army
of Northern Virginia. Crutchfield states the artillery's role was to check the
enemy's advance, but he notes that the artillery suffered from defective
ammunition.
Lieut. Gen. THOMAS J. JACKSON, Cmdg. Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
JANUARY 3, 1863
GEN:
I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the artillery of this corps in the engagement near Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862:
On the right the enemy, after furiously cannonading Lieut.-Col. Walker's position till they imagined his batteries crippled, advanced their infantry. One body moved toward the point of woods in our center, and the other, with its front parallel to the road from Hamilton's Crossing, to the river road. When distant about 800 yards, Lieut.-Col. Walker's batteries opened upon them with great effect, and at the same time fifteen guns-composed of sections from the batteries of Capt. Poague [Lieut. A. Graham, commanding] Watson, Smith, Garber, one gun of Capt. Dance's battery, and the Louisiana Guards Battery [three guns]-were thrown into position into the plain to our right, so as to cross their fire with that of the guns of Lieut.-Col. Walker, being specially designed to check the advance of the enemy toward the road from Hamilton's Crossing to the river road. These pieces were under the immediate command of Maj. [John] Pelham, and were admirably managed and bravely fought, and perfectly accomplished their object. All these batteries did not go in at once, but were added as the weight of the enemy's fire seemed to require it.
I cannot close this report without calling your attention to the great defect in the ammunition we used, by which few of our shells burst. My own observation entirely confirmed the numerous complaints made to me from the batteries. Much, if not most, of this difficulty is, I made satisfied, justly attributable to the fuses.
I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. CRUTCHFIELD,
Col. and Chief of Artillery, Second Corps.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I. Vol. 21. Serial No. 31, Page 636, Broadfoot Publishing Company, , .
