|
The 3rd Arkansas Field Battery (1860–1865) was a Confederate Army artillery battery from Pulaski County, Arkansas, during the American Civil War. The battery is also known as the Totten Light Artillery, Pulaski Light Artillery, the Weaver Light Artillery, Woodruff’s Battery, and Marshall's Battery. The battery originated as a pre-war Militia company, initially enrolled in state service. After the Battle of Wilson's Creek, the battery was release from state service and eventually reorganized for Confederate Service. The battery provided the initial training for the leaders of numerous other Arkansas artillery batteries during the Civil War. The battery spent its entire service in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi. ==Organization== The Pulaski Light Artillery was organized at Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, in December 1860. This was a time when sectional strife between the Deep South and the northern states caused the young men in many southern cities to form military companies in preparation for what was looking like the inevitability of armed conflict between the North and the South. Little Rock was no different from other southern cities in this respect. In addition to the regular militia, The Militia Law of Arkansas allowed each county to raise up to four Volunteer Companies: one each of infantry, rifles, horse, and artillery.〔 Col. C. Peyton, the commander of the 13th Regiment Arkansas Militia Regiment of Pulaski County certified the election of the officers of Totten's battery.〔 The company was initially called the Totten Light Artillery, in honor of the popular commander of the United States Arsenal at Little Rock from 1839 to 1860, William Totten. When Totten’s son, Captain James Totten, then commanding a U.S. Army artillery battery at the arsenal, cast his lot with the Union, following the seizure of the Little Rock Arsenal,〔 the battery promptly changed its name to the Pulaski Light Artillery. Little did they know that in a few short months they would be facing Totten's guns in battle.〔 The first mention of the Pulaski Light Artillery came in an article published in the Arkansas State Gazette, on Saturday, December 22, 1860, announcing that, ''The young men of this city favorably disposed toward a Military organization which may do the ‘State some service,’ have formed under the title of the ‘Pulaski Artillery,’ and have elected Rob’t C. Newton, Captain; Wm. E. Woodruff, Jr., 1st Lieut.; L. B. Brown, 2d Lieut. and Wm. H. Causin, 3d Lieut.''〔 Robert Crittenden Newton, a Little Rock lawyer, resigned in early 1861 and went into the cavalry service, eventually becoming colonel of the 5th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, CSA. William Edward Woodruff, Jr., the son of the owner and publisher of the Arkansas State Gazette, succeeded Newton as captain.〔 The Pulaski Light Artillery maintained an armory over the Market House in downtown Little Rock, where they drilled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon at 3:30, and continued to recruit.〔 There were several volunteer companies organizing in Little Rock in the fall of 1860. Many of the young men from the wealthier families seemed to be attracted to the cavalry service, and the Pulaski Lancers (actually equipped with lances decorated with pennants) attracted its share.〔 The young mechanics and tradesmen of the city seemed to be particularly drawn to the artillery service, and the roster of the Pulaski Light Artillery shows a high percentage of skilled artisans of various trades among its ranks. Apparently the businesses that employed these young men began frowning on their frequent absence from their jobs, causing the following appeal to be printed in the local paper: :''... ()t is desirable that merchants, head mechanics, and others having young men in their employ, belonging to military companies, should grant them leave of absence on the days designated for drills. Business is not so brisk as to require the whole of their time, and it is important that every man in the land who is capable of doing a soldier’s duty, should be instructed properly, and hold himself in readiness to respond to the call of his country.''〔 The Battery was armed with two 6 pound smooth bore cannon and two 12 pound smooth bore cannon.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「3rd Arkansas Field Battery」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|