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Campaign History | Battery History | Unit Histories
At First Bull Run:
Taken from Section D, Reports of B.G. Irvin McDowell, commanding U.S. forces. From Statement of artillery lost in the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861: Fifth U.S. Artillery [Company D], Cpt. Griffin commanding. (1st Bgd., 2nd Div., Army of Northeastern Virginia) Battery composition: Two – 10-lb. Parrotts (’61), two – 6-lb. (old), two – 12-lb. howitzers. Guns lost: 1 rifled, 5 smoothbore. Remarks: One 10-pounder saved. 1 Not a good start.
The battery composition stated above is contradicted. According to Report of Maj. William F. Barry, Fifth U.S. Artillery, Chief of Artillery: "Griffin’s battery, D, Fifth Artillery, four 10-pounder Parrot rifle guns, two 12-pounder howitzers." 2 Great report.
Unfortunately Cpt. Charles Griffin’s Report does NOT clear up the question of the battery’s composition. Also see page 769. Henry Hunt. Re-arming of Battery D, 5th U.S.: two – 12-lb. Napoleons, three – 10-lb. Parrotts. This in addition to the one 10-lb. Parrott remaining after First Bull Run. This indicates that the second battery composition at Antietam given below may be correct. Of course it is possible that the two 12-lb. Napoleons were exchanged for 10-lb. Parrotts before 17SEP62. I have found no evidence of this as yet.
At Antietam:
Battery D, 5th U.S., Lt. Charles E. Hazlett commanding. (1st Div., V Corps) Battery composition: Six – 10-lb. Parrotts (’61). From Joseph M. Hanson’s Report (NPS 1940).3
Battery D, 5th U.S., Lt. Charles E. Hazlett. Battery composition: Four – 10-lb. Parrotts (’61), two – 12-lb. Napoleons. (Hunt Papers, Barry to Hunt, p. 7)4 Why is there a discrepancy between this entry and above entry?
Maurin’s (Donaldsonville) LA Battery (Saunder’s Battalion, R.H. Anderson’s Division, Longstreet’s Wing, ANV) was involved in a rear guard action on September 19th, at Shepardstown, VA on the Potomac. One of the battery’s 10-lb. Parrotts was abandoned. According to the authors this gun was the 10-lb. Parrott lost at First Bull Run by Griffin’s Battery (D, 5th U.S.) 5 Confirmed loss of 10-lb. Parrott at First Bull Run in OR (Series I, Vol. 2). See First Bull Run Section above.
| References: |
| 1. Official Records, Series I, Volume 2. pp. 315, 328. |
| 2. Ibid. pp. 346. |
| 3. Johnson, Curt and Richard C. Anderson, Jr. Artillery Hell: The Employment of Artillery at Antietam. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, TX, 1995. p. 36. |
| 4. Ibid. pp. 74. |
| 5. Ibid. pp. 87, 107. |
