[ A big THANK YOU to Lynn Groves for transcribing this document for the webpage! ]
GAINES' / MCNALLY'S ARKANSAS BATTERY
Gaines'/McNally's Battery was formed in the summer of 1861. Armed
originally with old weapons seized at Federal outposts in the state, by Jan. 1,
1862, only one of the battery's guns was serviceable for field duty.
Originally assigned to duty west of the Mississippi, the battery was
transferred east in the spring of 1862. Stationed at Vicksburg, the unit was
captured when that city surrendered, July 4, 1863. After being exchanged, the
unit finished its career in the Trans-Mississippi Department.
One section of the battery, numbering about twenty-five officers and men
with two pieces of artillery, was outside the fortifications of Vicksburg and,
consequently, was not included in the troops surrendered there. This section
served independently until the end of 1863. At that time, references to it ceased
in the Official Records and it was probably absorbed by another Arkansas
artillery unit east of the Mississippi.
Those members of the battery captured at Vicksburg were exchanged and
served in the Trans-Mississippi Department for the remainder of its career. In
mid-November, 1864, the Confederate Trans-MS authorities attempted a
reorganization, Gaines'/McNally's Battery was designated as the First Arkansas
Field Battery.
The battery participated in over a dozen engagements. These
engagements are listed below:
Battle, Pea Ridge, Bentonville, Leetown, and Elkhorn Tavern, AR
(Mar. 6 - 8, 1862)
Battle, Corinth, MS
(Oct. 3 - 4, 1862)
Pursuit to the Hatchie River, MS
(Oct. 5 - 12, 1862)
Action, Oakland, MS
(Dec. 3, 1862)
Action, Chickasaw Bluff, Sherman's Operations against Vicksburg, MS
(Dec. 27 - 28, 1862)
Assault, Chickasaw Bluff, MS
(Dec. 29, 1862)
Passage of Vicksburg and Warrenton Batteries, MS
(April 22, 1863)
Siege, Vicksburg, MS
(May 18 - July 4, 1863)
Assault, Vicksburg, MS
(May 19, 1863)
Assault, Vicksburg, MS
(May 22, 1863)
Surrender, Vicksburg, MS
(July 4, 1863)
Siege, Jackson, MS (Section)
(July 10 - 16, 1863)
Assault, Jackson, MS (Section)
(July 12, 1863)
Surrender, Galveston, TX
(June 2, 1865)
A day before the troops in the Trans-Mississippi Department were officially
surrendered, June 2, the unit's armament was reported as being four six
pounders. It was located at the Shreveport Arsenal, LA at that time.
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