This version of the website was created in 2025. See the Site Information Page for contact information, data downloads, and other details.
Sixth Ohio Battery, Arty. Brig., 4TH Army Corps, Camp near Jonesborough, Ga.,
September
6, 1864
.
Lieutenant: I have the honor herewith to present a synopsis of the part taken by the Sixth Ohio Independent Light Battery, during the campaign in Georgia, under
Maj. Gen.
W.
T.
Sherman
, commanding Military Division of the
Mississippi, commencing on the
3d day of May, 1864, at McDonald's Station, Tenn., and
ending on the
5th day of September, 1864, on Macon and Atlanta
Railroad, at or near Lovejoy's Station, Ga. I would remark that it
is almost impossible to give a minute report.
The unusual length of time consumed in making the campaign (a little over four months) precludes the idea.
I would also state the battery has been commanded by three different officers during the campaign, viz, first,
by
First Lieut.
O.
H.
P.
Ayres
, who commanded until
June
1, 1864
; second, by
First Lieut.
L.
D.
Immell
, Buttery G, First Regiment
Missouri Volunteer
Light Artillery, who commanded until
August
1
1864
.
Up to the
1st day of August, 1864, I was acting chief of artillery, Third
Division, Fourth Army Corps.
On or about the last of
July
the artillery of the Fourth Army Corps was organized into an
Artillery Brigade, under command of
Capt.
Lyman
Bridges
, Illinois Volunteer Artillery, thus relieving me from the duties of
chief of artillery and returning me to the command of my battery.
On the
3d day of May, 1864, the battery was under command of
First Lieut.
O.
H.
P.
Ayres
, and consisted of 4 commissioned officers, 153 enlisted men, 6
12-pounder light Napoleon guns, 6 caissons for 12-pounder guns, 128 rounds of ammunition per gun, 1 forge (A), 1
battery wagon (C), 5 baggage wagons, 114 horses, and 32 mules.
Left camp at McDonald's Station, Tenn., at 12 m.; consumed twelve
days in marching to or near Resaca, Ga., where we found the enemy
in force, and on 15th took up position on main line and expended-shot, 49; shell, 74; spherical case, 65;
canister, 10; total, 198 rounds ammunition;
Private
Simpson
slightly wounded by musket-ball; I horse killed.
Left camp on the 16th and again came upon the enemy at or near Adairsville, Ga. Took position on main line and expended ��� shot, 9; shell, 66;
spherical case, 61; total, 136 rounds.
Left camp on 19th; consumed seven days in marching to Pumpkin Vine Creek,
where we again came upon the enemy.
Took position on the 26th on main line, expending-shot, 34; shell, 35; spherical case, 21; total, 90 rounds;
Corporal
Fix
severely wounded by musket-ball.
27th, expended 37 shot, 81 shell, 54 case, and 2 canister; total, 174;
Corporal
Mathews
severely wounded.
28th, expended 9 shot, 2 shell, and I canister; total, 12. 29th, expended 11 shot, 6 shell, and 30 case; total,
47;
Private
Whitney
killed.
30th, relieved by
Captain
McDowell
's (Pennsylvania) battery, and took position near
headquarters Fourth Army Corps.
Left camp
June
6
; consumed eight days in marching to or near Acworth, Ga.,
coming upon the enemy on the
14th
.
Took position on main line, expending ��� shot, 18; shell, 26; case, 11; total, 55 rounds.
15th and 16th, moved on
Marietta road
. 17th, came upon the enemy near Pine Hill, Ga.; took position
with Third Di-vision, Fourth Army Corps; expended-shot, 27; shell, 17;
total, 44 rounds.
18th, pursued the enemy, driving him, and expending-shot, 121; shell, 113; case 90; total, 324 rounds;
Private
Hersh
killed;
Privates
Craig
and
Everett
wounded severely; one spare wheel destroyed by shell.
19th, moved on
Marietta road
. 20th, took position on main line near Kenesaw Mountain, and
remained until
July
2
, expending rounds of ammunition as follows:
June
20, 457
.
June
22
,
44
.
June
23, 155
.
June
27
,
5
shot.
July
1
,
3
shot, 8 shell, 9 case; total, 20.
July
2
,
11
shot, 20 shell, 27 case; total, 58.
July
3
, left camp and pursued the enemy, coming up with him on the 5th near Chattahoochee River; took position on main line; remained until 10th, expending
ammunition as follows: 5th, 12 shell, 14 case; total, 26. 6th, 30 shot, 59 shell, 88 case; total, 177;
First Lieut.
O.
H.
P.
Ayres
severely wounded.
7th, 43 shot, 39 shell, 43 case; total, 125. 9th, 25 shot, 18 shell, 17 case; total, 60. 10th, 10 shot, 20
shell, 9 case; total, 39. 11th, left camp; consumed eight days in marching to Buck Head, where we again engaged on the
19th
, expending 8 shot, 10 shell, 16 case; total, 34 rounds.
Left camp on 20th, and on 22d took position on main line before Atlanta, where we remained until
August
25
, expending ammunition as follows :
Daily details omitted.
Total rounds expended, 1,950.
August
10
, erected temporary furnace for heating shot and threw six shot into the city, also four shell filled
with port fire.
August
25
, left camp at 10 p. m.; consumed two days in marching to Camp
Creek, Ga., where we engaged the enemy on the
27th
, expending 8 shot, 6 shell, 7 case; total, 21 rounds.
Left camp on the 28th at 6.30 a. in.; consumed six days in marching to the Montgomery railroad, where we again
engaged the enemy, expending 3 shot.
September
3
, expended 30 shot, 17 shell, 39 case, 3 canister; total, 89 rounds.
September
4
, right section moved out on main line near Lovejoy's Station, Ga.;
expended 23 shot, 6 shell, 4 case, 28 canister; total, 61 rounds.
5th, expended 5 shell, 3 case; total, 8 rounds.
In noting the different times the battery has been engaged or fired no mention is made of the results, simply
because it was
not known.
All the firing done has been at the enemy's batteries or main lines.
When at their batteries they have been silenced by a few rounds.
During the campaign our firing has been mostly behind works.
All firing has been done by order of chief of artillery of the corps or general commanding division or army.
Recapitulation: Killed, enlisted men, 2; horses, 1.
Wounded, commissioned officers, 1; enlisted men, 5.
Ammunition expended, total number of rounds, 4,412.
I am, lieutenant, very respectfully, your obedient servant,