Where were all the Captains?

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Robertson's Battery of Horse Artillery (B&L 2nd Artillery)

During the Maryland Campaign twenty-two of the Union Army’s artillery batteries came from the Regular Army.  Five of these were actually consolidations of two batteries.  Battery consolidations occurred because of the difficulty in recruiting up to authorized strength. Even when consolidated, the batteries submitted separate battery muster rolls each month. That means that there are actually twenty-seven artillery batteries muster reports to look at when studying the regular batteries at Antietam.

These batteries were the core of the Army of the Potomac’s artillery power and were found in every infantry corps, the cavalry division, and the artillery reserve.  As originally envisioned by William Barry and Henry Hunt, the army’s first two artillery chiefs, the regulars formed the core of an infantry division’s artillery complement.  Their job was to train the volunteer batteries in the performance of their duties.  The plan was for the regular artillery battery commander was also the division’s chief of artillery.  The ratio was one regular to three volunteer batteries.  This did not always work out in practice.

A Federal artillery battery was authorized one captain and four first lieutenants. 

Each of the regular army’s five artillery regiments were represented during the Maryland Campaign.  Four of these had been in existence since 1821.  The Fifth Artillery was a new regiment established in May of 1861.

In reviewing the list of battery commanding officers at Antietam, one question becomes apparent.  Where were all the captains?

The table below shows all of the batteries.  It identifies the captain who commanded the battery according to the muster rolls for August 1862. The actual commander at the time follows in the next column. 

Battery	Captain (on muster rolls)	Actual Commander	Gun Type	Division/Corps assignment at Antietam
E&G First Artillery	Jefferson C. Davis (Company E) [1] John M. Schofield (USMA 1853 Company G)[2]	1LT Alanson Randol (USMA 1860)	4-12 lb Napoleons	Sykes Division Fifth Corps
I      First Artillery	James Ricketts (USMA 1839)[3]	1LT George Woodruff (USMA June 1861)	6-12 lb Napoleons	Sedgwick’s Division, Second Corps
K     First Artillery	William Graham[4]	CPT William Graham	6-12 lb Napoleons	Artillery Reserve
A Second Artillery	John C. Tidball (USMA 1848)	CPT John C. Tidball	6-3" Ordnance Rifles	Horse Artillery Cavalry Division
B&L Second Artillery	James W. Robertson (Company B) William Hays  (USMA 1840- Company L)[5]	CPT James W. Robertson	4-3" Ordnance Rifles	Horse Artillery Cavalry Division
D Second Artillery	Edward R. Platt (USMA 1849)[6]	1LT Edward Williston	6-12 lb Napoleons	Slocum’s Division, Sixth Corps
E Second Artillery	Josiah H. Carlisle (USMA 1845)[7]	1LT Samuel Benjamin (USMA May 1861)	4-20 lb Parrot Rifles	Willcox’s Division Ninth Corps
G Second Artillery	James Thompson (USMA 1851)[8]	1LT John H. Butler	4-12 lb Napoleons	Couch’s Division Fourth Corps
M Second Artillery	Henry Benson[9]	1LT Peter Hains (USMA June 1861)	6-3" Ordnance Rifles	Horse Artillery Cavalry Division
C&G Third Artillery	Horatio Gibson (USMA 1847 Company C) Alexander Piper  (USMA 1851 Company G)[10]	CPT Horatio Gibson	6-3" Ordnance Rifles	Horse Artillery Cavalry Division
L&M Third Artillery	Dunbar Ransom (Company L)[11] John Edwards (USMA 1851-Company M)	CPT John Edwards	4-10 lb Parrot Rifles	Cox’s Division, Ninth Corps
A&C Fourth Artillery	Francis N. Clarke (USMA 1840 Company A)[12] George Hazzard (USMA 1847)[13]	1LT Evan Thomas	6-12 lb Napoleons	Richardson’s Division, Second Corps
B Fourth Artillery	John Gibbon (USMA 1847)[14]	1LT Joseph Campbell (USMA June 1861)[15]	6-12 lb Napoleons	Doubleday’s Division, First Corps
E Fourth Artillery	Joseph C. Clark (USMA 1848)	CPT Joseph C. Clark	4-10 lb Parrot Rifles	Sturgis Division, Ninth Corps
F Fourth Artillery	Clermont Best (USMA 1846)[16]	1LT Edward D. Muhlenberg	6-12 lb Napoleons	Twelfth Corps
G Fourth Artillery	Albion Howe (USMA 1841)[17]	1LT Marcus P. Miller (USMA 1858)[18]	6-12 lb Napoleons	Artillery Reserve
A     Fifth Artillery	George Getty (USMA 1840)[19]	1LT Charles P. Muhlenberg	6-12 lb Napoleons	Rodman’s Division, Ninth Corps
C Fifth Artillery	Dunbar Ransom	CPT Dunbar Ransom	4-12 lb Napoleons	Meade’s Division, First Corps
D     Fifth Artillery	Charles Griffin (USMA 1847)[20]	1LT Charles Hazlett (USMA May 1861)	4-10 lb Parrots 2-12 lb Napoleons	Morell’s Division, Fifth Corps
F Fifth Artillery	Romeyn Ayres (USMA 1847)[21]	1LT Leonard Martin (USMA May 1861)	4-10 lb Parrots 2-12 lb Napoleons	Smith’s Division, Sixth Corps
I      Fifth Artillery	Stephen Weed (USMA 1854)	CPT Stephen Weed	4-3" Ordnance Rifles	Syke’s Division, Fifth Corps
K Fifth Artillery	John R. Smead (USMA 1854)[22]	2LT William E. Van Reed	4-12 lb Napoleons	Syke’s Division, Fifth Corps

Of the twenty seven battery captains, six (Davis, Schofield, Ricketts, Gibbon, Howe and Griffin) were brigadier generals of volunteers serving in infantry commands.  Three (Best Clarke, and Getty) were Corps Artillery Chiefs; two Ayres and Ransom were division artillery chiefs (though the information is confusing on Ransom); Hays commanded the Artillery Reserve; Piper was detailed to the defenses of Washington; Thompson to Cincinnati; three (Benson, Hazzard, and Smead), and had been recently killed or mortally wounded and the muster rolls did not yet reflect this; Carlisle was on sick leave; Platt was an inspector general on the Sixth Corps staff.  This left eight (Graham, Tidball, Robertson, Gibson, Edwards, Clark, Ransom [again], and Weed) actually in command of their batteries.  Dunbar Ransom is listed twice commanding both Battery L, Third Artillery, and Battery C, Fifth Artillery.  The note on Battery L’s muster indicates that Ransom was Chief of Artilery for Meade’s division.

The bottom line is that there were a lot of very young lieutenants commanding many of the regular batteries during the Maryland Campaign.  Stay tuned.

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[1] Jefferson C. Davis was a brigadier general of volunteers and commanded a division in the Army of the Cumberland. A sergeant in the Third Indiana Volunteers in the Mexican War, Davis was commissioned into the First Artillery on June 17, 1848. Not to be confused with the Confederate President, this Davis is famously known for shooting and killing his superior officer, Maj. Gen. William "Bull" Nelson in Louisville, Kentucky and after being slapped in the face by Nelson. A shortage of competent generals saved Davis from a court martial conviction.

[2] John Schofield a future commanding general of the U.S. Army was a brigadier general of volunteers and commanded the District of Missouri at the time of the Battle of Antietam. 

[3] James Ricketts was a brigadier general of volunteers and commanded the Second Division, First Corps.

[4] William Graham was directly commissioned into the First Artillery on June 7, 1855.  He may have benefited from the fact that his father and namesake Lieutenant William M. Graham who commanded the 11^th Infantry Regiment was killed at Molino del Rey during the Mexican War.

[5] William Hays was a staff lieutenant colonel and commanded the Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac.

[6] Edward Platt was a staff lieutenant colonel and assistant inspector general of the Sixth Corps.

[7] Josiah Carlisle was on sick leave of absence, Aug. 3, 1862, to Apr. 14, 1863;

[8] James Thompson as Chief of Artillery, in defense of Cincinnati during rebel offensive into Kentucky during September, 1862

[9] Henry Benson was an enlisted artilleryman in the Second Artillery during the Mexican War.  He was commissioned into the Second Artillery on January 26, 1849.  Benson died August 11, 1862 of wounds received August 5, 1862 at Malvern Hill

[10] Alexander Piper who was Pope’s Chief of Artillery was now assigned as Assistant Inspector of Artillery at Washington DC.

[11] Dunbar Ransom was the Chief of Artillery of Meade’s Division and commanded Battery C, 5^th U.S. Artillery.

[12] Francis Clarke on detached duty as Chief of Artillery, Second Corps. He was promoted to Major, Fifth Artillery on August 5, 1862.

[13] George Hazzard died August 14, 1862 of wounds received at the Battle of White Oak Swamp on June 30, 1862.

[14] John Gibbon was a brigadier general of volunteers and commanded the Black Hat Brigade of Doubleday’s division, First Corps.

[15] Campbell had the staff rank of Captain-Staff Additional Aide de Camp

[16] Clermont Best was chief of artillery for the Twelfth Corps

[17]Albion Howe was a brigadier general of volunteers and commanded a brigade in Couch’s division, Fourth Corps

[18] Marcus Miller was the regimental adjutant detached to the battery. 

[19] George Getty was staff lieutenant colonel and commander of the Ninth Corps artillery.

[20] Charles Griffin was a brigadier general of volunteers and commanded a brigade in Morell’s Division, Fifth Corps.

[21] Romeyn Ayres commanded the division artillery of Smith’s Division, Sixth Corps

[22] John R. Smead was killed on August 30, 1862 at the Second Battle of Bull Run.

New Maryland Campaign Quotes

Over at Antietam Voices, I have added 124 new quotes about the Maryland Campaign. These are quotes about the campaign that don't fall under the specific battles of South Mountain, Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and Shepherdstown. Check them out here.

A New Book on the Battle of Antietam

Last week, the Western Maryland Interpretive Association (WMIA) published the latest in its series of books on various aspects of the Civil War in this part of Maryland. Already released are volumes on the Battle of Monocacy, and the Antietam Farmsteads. Joining these titles is the Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862.

The latest work is a collaborative work of two Antietam rangers. John Hoptak wrote the copy for the book. Keith Snyder designed the layout, maps, and charts and masterfully enhanced the photographs and drawings that grace the book.

The book is more than just a tale of the bloody events of September 17, 1862 as the title would have you believe. It is the story of the entire Maryland Campaign told from its very beginnings on September 4, 1862 when the seemingly invincible legions of the Army of the Northern Virginia crossed the Potomac, to the retreat of the battered Confederate Army and the rearguard Battle of Shepherdstown fifteen days later.

John Hoptak has already established his reputation as an authority and well-regarded author on a range of Civil War topics. His challenge here was to reduce the Maryland Campaign and the Battle of Antietam to about 60 pages of text. The remaining 20 or so pages are the excellent maps, charts, and photos.

The result is a well-crafted overview of the campaign and a more detailed survey of the battle on September 17^th, 1862. The Battle of South Mountain and Confederate capture of Harper’s Ferry as well as the events of the two days leading up to the battle are addressed. John’s treatment of George McClellan is fair and balanced and thankfully devoid of much of the stereotype that we see in much of the literature of this important figure. Likewise we see the battle from the perspective of Robert E. Lee and understand his decision to stand and fight outnumbered and with his back to the Potomac.

John covers the battle in about 30 pages. We see it not as a series of unrelated events on different parts of the battlefield as it is sometimes portrayed but as a seamless weaving together of the story with a good appreciation of how it all tied in together. Lesser-known parts of the battle are included, like Lee’s planned attack in the left in the afternoon, and the September 16 twilight action in the East Woods.

Given John’s penchant for biography, we are treated to brief vignettes of the principal commanders on both sides throughout the narrative.

Keith Snyder did a tremendous job with the maps. There are six for the battle itself covering different times of the battle. The maps really enforce the fact that there was action along the entire line for the entire day. They capture key elements of terrain, contour, and movement in a way that I haven’t seen before. I have already photocopied and laminated copies and stuck them in my already bulging guide haversack. Keith created several great organization charts that distill a great amount of information; he did a wonderful job touching up the photographs and drawings providing a new level of crispness and clarity to images many of us have seen in other works. There is also interesting information on the development of the park, presidential visits to the battlefield, and much more.

Without hopefully sounding to pompous, I cannot say that there was much new that I learned about the Battle of Antietam here. But the story is faithfully and accurately told. John and Keith have reduced an immensely complicated event in our history into a readable and informative work that should have widespread appeal and excite interest in new readers young and old on the topic. They got it right.

In the days and months ahead as I take groups out on tours I will as I sometimes do, find myself at a loss for words on how to reduce a complicated concept or event to an easier to understand level. When that happens I will reach for my copy of this very good book.