Commanded by:
1. Captain A. C. Waterhouse, Wounded.
2. Lieutenant A. E. Abbott, Wounded.
3. Lieutenant John A. Fitch.
Back of monument:
Two guns of this battery were advanced about 300 yards but soon fell back to this position where the whole battery went into action. This ground was held from 7.00 a.m. to 9.30 a.m., April 6, 1862, when the battery lost two guns and moved back about 100 yards. Its loss in the battle was 1 man killed; 3 officers and 14 men wounded; total, 18.
The first picture shows the good sloping ground that Waterhouse defended in the morning. At the end of the open ground is Rhea Spring and Rhea Field is on the other side of the trees (about 300 yards away as the monument indicates). That is where this battery was in position first but would soon have to fall back to here. That first position is also where Sherman first encountered the enemy and knew that a real battle was starting instead of only panicked warnings from rookie commanders.
1 comment:
Having just found your blog, I'm guessing artillery is is a big interest of yours. Your blog name also suggests a keen interest in Shiloh as a whole. I've always been interested in this battle since I was young. It has everything a good story needs: surprise, reverasal of fortune, mystery, what if, and heroism.
Having recently gone over the ground again, this time with an eye to geography and positions, I'm taken with the possibilities of really being able to see what conditions were like in April 1862. Mere battle report descriptions alone do not communicate the feel of the ground.
I enjoyed reading your posts on the batteries.
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