Summary:
Confederate artillery colonel Henry Cabell writes Artillery Chief William
Pendleton concerning the February, 1864, positions and conditions of his forces.
Pendleton mentions a gun that had been sent to Staunton to replenish a battery
weakened after the battle of Gettysburg.
Gen. W. N. PENDLETON,
Chief of Artillery:
February 13, 1864.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your valued note of the 11th instant.
My batteries are located as follows, vi: Fraser's battery, three guns, at Somerville Ford; Manly's battery, four guns, at Raccoon Ford; McCarthy's battery, four guns, at Morton's Ford; Carlton's battery, three guns, in reserve near the intersection of the roads leading to Raccoon and Morton's Fords, and equidistant from each. My headquarters are in a pine thicket adjacent to Capt. Carlton's battery, and are a few hundred yards from Gen. Rodes' old headquarters. The men are in good huts, the horses under good shelter. The horses are faring well. Scarcely any sickness of any kind in camp.
I sent a requisition for horses early this month to Gen. Lee's headquarters; unfortunately, it has not been supplied. Yesterday I received information that a Napoleon gun had arrived at Orange Court-House, intended for Capt. Carlton's battery. It would not be prudent to bring it here at present (though much needed) from the want of horses. I would be glad if you would write to Maj. Harman and urge him to supply us with horses immediately. It is bad policy to keep condemned horses here in front. The corn at first sent us was worm-eaten or rotten, and produced scurvy in the horses. Unfortunately, notwithstanding every care, 12 horses died. The forage is now sufficient, and of good quality.
Capt. Fraser's battery requires another gun. After the Thursday's fight at Gettysburg, this battery having lost 2 officers wounded and a very large number of men and horses, it was thought advisable to turn over one of these guns to the quartermaster to be transported. It was sent to Staunton. The gun was a 3-inch rifled gun. I have written to Lieut.-Col. Baldwin, chief of ordnance, on the subject, asking a return of the gun. The gun will require horses and harness. There cannot be a more meritorious case.
I have written to you in regard to the promotion of First Lieut. Morgan Callaway. It would be a great misfortune to lose him from the battery, and remaining with it he ought to be promoted. I would be very glad if you would give the subject your immediate attention. If he cannot be commissioned as captain of the battery, cannot he be commissioned as captain of artillery, and assigned to the command of this battery?
You ask me if I "need any more guns." Capt. Manly and Carlton's batteries are both large enough for six-gun batteries. If the guns and horses can be supplied, I would like them to be restored to their former position as six-gun batteries.
The attack of the enemy was by no means "a small affair." I have no doubt that they acted upon reports of the weakness of our forces and our supposed want of vigilance. Nearly all the pickets were taken prisoners. The preservation of the line and the consequent repulse of the enemy are unquestionably due to that portion of your artillery now with Lieut.-Gen. Ewell's corps. The repulse was complete and the casualties small simply because of the promptness, courage, and energy of these batteries. But for them, instead of being characterized as a small affair, it would have been one of the most disastrous affairs of the war. At the same time it is proper to state that Gen. Ewell appeared on the field with the greatest alacrity, exerted himself in bringing up the infantry promptly, and all his arrangements reflected great credit upon him, and the results show that the tactics, generalship, and admirable discipline of the army are so much improved as to overcome the disadvantages of unavoidable surprises.
If young Saunders is under eighteen he can be received into the First Howitzers; if older, perhaps an arrangement can be made for bringing him into the company by exchange. Let him apply at once.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. C. CABELL,
Col. of Artillery.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 33, Serial No. 60, Pages 1169-1170, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
