A Journal of the American Civil War: V5-1

The Museum of the Confederacy Collection

Theodore P. Savas, David A. Woodbury

• Publisher: Savas Publishing
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781954547315
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

Balanced and in-depth military coverage (all theaters, North and South) in a non-partisan format with detailed notes, offering meaty, in-depth articles, original maps, photos, columns, book reviews, and indexes. Collection of The Museum of the Confederacy – 14th TN Infantry as seen by a sergeant – 40th GA Infantry as seen by a major – the Washington Artillery

In the Field and on the Town with the Washington Artillery

Selections from Documents in The Museum of the Confederacy Collections

The Battalion Washington Artillery of New Orleans was one of the most prestigious units in the Confederate army and has been one of the most studied regiments in the century since the war. In Camp and Battle With the Washington Artillery, written by the unit’s adjutant, Lt. Col. William Miller Owen, occupies an honored place among regimental histories, both for its detail and readability. Pvt. Napier Bartlett wrote the equally acclaimed A Soldier's Story of the War¹

Organized in 1838 as a local militia company, the Washington Artillery entered the Confederate army in 1861 and grew during the war from one battery to six, four of which served together under the command of Maj. (later colonel) James B. Walton as the Army of Northern Virginia’s first artillery battalion. The unit survived the Reconstruction era as a fraternal organization, reemerged in the late 1870s as a militia unit and has served ever since as a unit in the U.S. National Guard. Throughout its life, the Washington Artillery has maintained a reputation for military efficiency as well as for social prominence. It is because of the conscious traditionalism of its members that the unit’s history is so well documented.

While the voluminous records of the Washington Artillery were donated to the Confederate Memorial Hall (of which William Miller Owen was custodian) and are now in the Louisiana Historical Association collection in the care of the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library of Tulane University, other important documents and personal papers were donated early in the twentieth century to the Confederate Museum in Richmond. Instrumental in building the Museum’s collection was the Louisiana Room regent, Katie Walker Behan, whose hus-band, William J. Behan, had been a member of the Washington Artillery. Those papers include letters written by Capt. George Edward Apps and Cpl. Fred A. Brode to Brode’s sister, Josephine Brode Trinchard, of New Orleans, the diaries of Capt. Edward Owen (brother of William Miller Owen) and Capt. (later Col.) John B. Richardson, a few other papers donated by Richardson, a memorial testament of Cpl. Frank Dunbar Ruggles and a handwritten copy of the farewell address delivered by Rev. B. M. Palmer to the men upon their departure from New Orleans.

Together these documents offer wide chronological range (from May 1861 until March 1865) and embody the diversity of a regiment’s experiences. Richardson’s diary is a dry daily record of his company’s campaigns and battles from its entry into Confederate service through December 1862; Owen’s diary includes many details on campaigns and on the logistical concerns of an artillery battalion, but is primarily the daily adventures of a cosmopolitan, rakish young soldier who moved in the highest circles of Southern society; the letters of Apps and Brode contain little detail on battles and campaigns, but are documents of daily life in camp, and offer insights into the peculiar anxieties of soldiers whose homes were behind enemy lines; Ruggles’s letter to his father and Richardson’s letter to the mother of M. Page Lapham speak to profound questions of life and death, loyalty and ideology, such as James McPherson explores in his ongoing study of Why They Fought²

Transcriptions of the Washington Artillery documents in The Museum of the Confederacy collections occupy several hundred typed pages. Selections from each of the document groups are transcribed here in chronological order, with minimal editing and annotation.

I. Autographed copy of Address delivered by Dr. B. M. Palmer to the Washington Artillery from the steps of the City Hall, May 27, 1861-on the eve of their departure from New Orleans to the theatre of war in Virginia. (copy written February 28,1893):

THE SOLDIERS OF COMPANIES 1-4, Battalion Washington Artillery prepared to leave for Virginia, wearing “their showy uniforms” and basking in the effusive adulation of New Orleans’ people. William Miller Owen described the scene in his book,³ but he did not publish the patriotic farewell address which Rev. B.M. Palmer delivered to the unit. In his address, Palmer offered an interpretation of the causes of the war and predicted the role that the Washington Artillery would play in it:

It is a war of defence against wicked and cruel aggression; a war of civilization against a ruthless barbarism, which would dishonor the dark ages; a war of religion against a blind and bloody fanaticism. It is a war for your homes and your firesides—for your wives and your children—for the land which the Lord has given us for a heritage. It is a war for the maintenance of the broadest principle for which a free people can contend—for the right of self-government. . . .

The theatre appointed for the struggle is the soil of Virginia, beneath the shadow of her worn Alleghanies [sic.] Virginia tried to be a buffer, but obeyed instincts to join the cause. Upon such a theatre, with such an issue pending before such a tribunal, we have no doubt of the part which will be assigned you to play; and when we hear the thunders of your cannon echoing from the mountain passes of Virginia, will understand that you mean, in the language of Cromwell at the battle of Drogheda, to ‘cut this war to the heart.. . .’

It only remains, Soldiers, to invoke the blessing of Almighty God upon your honored flag. It waves in brave hands over the gallant defenders of a holy cause. It will be found in the thickest of the fight, and the principles which it represents you will defend to ‘the last of your breath and of your blood.’ May victory [illegible] upon its staff in the hour of battle—and peace, an honorable peace, be wrapped within its folds when you shall return. . . . (1880-1896), Alabama native John B. Richardson joined the Washington Artillery in 1859 and was lieutenant of the 1st Company at the beginning of the war. He began his diary entries on May 25, 1861, the day the unit was mustered in Confederate service, and continued through the end of 1862.⁴ Richardson’s brief daily entries were primarily details of weather, personnel changes and movements of the unit. On June 25, the battalion arrived at Manassas Junction, Virginia. Richardson made no entry in his diary from July 14-16.

II. Pocket diary of Capt. John B. Richardson

DESTINED TO COMMAND THE BATTALION IN THE POSTWAR ERA

Wed. July 17: left Camp Louisiana at 11 oclock and marched to union mills camped at night and left for Blackburn ford next morning

July 18: The Washington Artillery with 7 pieces was engaged with the enemy at Blackburns ford from 31/2 oclock to 5 Pm.— GWMuse killed—Wounded Viz. Capt. Eshleman J.A. Tarleton How and Tully. Sc H.L. Zeabul Sc Baker silenced the enemys battery and camped in the field

July 19: Encamped near the battle ground nothing of interest occurred during the night—rained nearly all night, no tents or fire.

July 20: Encamped at same place was paid off at Manassas from 26 May to 30th of June $116.66 bt WL Cabal [sic. Cabell] QM.

July 21: At 8 1/2 oclock this day was engaged with the enemy at Stony Bridge the battle lasting until 51/2 Oclock when the enemy was Completely routed. Sergt Reynolds killed Capt Payne was__ ______ wounded.

July 22: Encamped near the battle field rained during the day and night which was very unpleasant no tents or anything to eat

July 23: Rained early in the day ordered to join Genl Earlys brigade 1 mile from Stone bridge, left at 1 oclock for that command arrived at 3 1/2 oclock

III. Letters of George Apps and Fred Brode to Josephine Trinchard, 1861-1862

GEORGE EDWARD (“ED” OR “NED”) APPS AND FRED BRODE were friends together in pre-war New Orleans; both enlisted in the 4th Company, Washington Artillery, in May 1861, Apps as a sergeant and Brode as a private, and both served in the company throughout the war. Apps rose to the rank of ist lieutenant, Brode to corporal.⁵ Most of the letters in the Museum collections were written to and saved by Brode’s sister, Josephine Brode Trinchard, of New Orleans. She had married at the age of 16 just before the war to F. B. Trinchard. Although he did not join the Washington Artillery, Trinchard left Federal occupied New Orleans for Mobile, Alabama, in May 1862 to enlist in a Louisiana unit. In 1863, he joined Company E, 2nd Battalion Alabama Artillery, in which he served the remainder of the war.⁶ The letters from Apps and Brode to Josephine Trinchard were concerned largely with their common network of friends, but offer insights and anecdotes about daily life in the Washington Artillery.

J. B. Richardson

The Museum of the Confederacy

George Edward Apps to F.B. Trinchard, Esqu., New Orleans Camp “Orleans” Centerville Va September 2 1861

It is with pleasure that I address you these few lines at the same time I must excuse myself for not writing before, but I know that you will excuse me for the life of a Soldier is a very lazy life! the less a soldier has to do, the less he wants to do, but I know you will excuse me this time, and I promise not to be so negligent in future. Since my departure from New Orleans I have seen a good deal of hardship but I don’t mind what I have passed, but I am thinking what I will do when the winter sets in. this is a very cold climate, and I am a very cold sort of a chap! So I don’t think that I will like it mutch. But like or no like, I have to stand it. for the Washington Arty are “Regulars” of the confederate States, and as long as the war last they have to do as they are bid, and ask no questions. I like soldiering well enough with the exception of sleeping on cold ground in winter, that I cant go. we eat well, and are generally in good health, and besides the W.A. are the crack Battalion of the confederate army, and if we had a big name be-fore we left New Orleans we have earned a mutch bigger Since we landed in Virginia. I think that Camp “Orleans” will be our headquarters until we are ready to march on Washington.⁷ We have only three companies at this camp at present, the second being at Fairfax, there was a report in camp yesterday that they had a fight, but I dont know whether it is so or not, at all events the First, Third, and Fourth, companies and at this camp, we arrived here day before yesterday and have not quite fixed up; we have the prides camp you ever saw. It would make you wish you were a soldier to see it. Jeff Davis say’s we are the model corp, and Major Walton wants us to keep up the reputation. I am at present acting Orderly Sergeant I have a good tent and am quite comfortable I can get anything I want, such as coffee or sugar &c. Fred is with me, he is getting quite fat, you would scarcely know him. this morning he went after Beaver we having get our fresh meat.

We have just been mustered in again, and had a general inspection. We have received one month’s wages and I assure you there is a good deal of Poker going on at present; some though cant play as they lost all their wages before it was due, so all they had to do was to receive it and pay out immediately, when I left N. Orleans I had $50.00 [illegible] when I have spent $150.00 and still have $23.00 left, so you know how I got it, my old luck of course. I want you to tell Charles that I received the box he sent me and the letter; but one bottle was broke, tell him it didnt make mutch difference though for we eat the contents, give him my respects and tell him I will answer when I receive his next letter. The weather here is bieutiful it is a little cool in the mornings but from 9, Oclock AM. it is delightful, we have very nice water here, and dont need any ice it is as cold as you want it all the time, and as clear as cristol.

The Seventh Louisiana Regiment is stationed next to us, and I meet a good many of our old acquaintances among them, especially in the continentals and Crescent Rifles. . . .⁸

GEO E. APPS

Lt. George Edward Apps ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Founding Contributors
• General Information
• Copyright
• Donations to Historic Preservation Projects
• The Museum of the Confederacy
• Guest Editors
• INTRODUCTION: John M. Coski, Guest Editor
• Regimental History Research Sources at The Museum of the Confederacy
• “The Sun never shined on a braver & truer Set of Soldiers”: The 14th Tennessee Infantry Regiment: Sgt. Robert T. Mockbee
• “What I Know I Know, and I dare express it”: The History of the 40th Georgia Infantry in the Vicksburg Campaign: Maj. Raleigh S. Camp
• “In the Field and on the Town with the Washington Artillery”: Selections from the Documents in: The Museum of the Confederacy Collections
• Book Reviews