~ BATTLE SUMMARY ~

 

On June 8, 1861, the command entered the State Service, and on June 28th, was formally mustered in at Camp Wright, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. From Camp Wright, they entrained for Camp Curtin at Harrisburg, on July 23rd, moving from Camp Curtin to the Arsenal in Washington on August 7th, where the battery was equipped. They then moved to Camp Tennally, Maryland, where they received intensive training, and were eventually transferred to Camp Pierpont, Virginia, where actual service began. On December 20th, the Battery saw its first actual fighting, during the battle of Drainsville, where the Army of the Potomac won its first victory.

Hostilities were more or less suspended during the winter, but resumed with the coming of warmer weather. On June 26, 1862, Battery "B" opened the Seven Day battles at Mechanicsville by firing the first artillery shot from the Union lines, repelling charge after charge by its rapid and accurate fire.

Then followed the battles of Gaines' Mill, New Market Cross Roads, Melvern Hill, Gainsville, Groveton, and Second Bull Run {August 30, 1862} where the Battery met the full force of Longstreet's charges and successfully drove them back until the Union Infantry gave way; leaving the artillery unflanked, and necessitating its withdrawal.

At South Mountain {September 14, 1862}, the Battery was attached to General Hooker's First Corps, and ascended the slope, from which it shelled and drove back the opposing forces; and at Antietam, two days later, it advanced with the skirmish line, opening the battle near "East Wood".

However, it was at Fredericksburg, {December 13, 1862} that Battery "B" saw what was perhaps, the most critical moment of its history. Under cover of its guns General Meade made his successful charge, and considerable damage was done to Stonewall Jackson's opposing artillery by the Battery's fire. Then the tide of battle turned, and the Union forces were driven back, the Southern forces following closely. Battery "B" maintained its position when all other artillery had retreated, keeping up a furious fire of double canister charges, and, supported by the infantry of the 37th New York, held the Union line. It was on the occasion of this defense that General Reynolds termed Captain Cooper the "bravest man in the army".

At Fitzhugh's Crossing {April 30, 1863}, below Fredericksburg, the Battery covered the advance of the First Corps. Two days later, however, with the battle turning against the Union forces at Chancellorsville, Battery "B" was hurried to that front, and subsequently covered the withdrawal of the Union Army across United States Ford.

In June 1863, encouraged by their victory at Chancellorsville, the Southern Army started north, with Harrisburg and it munitions depot as the first objective. Then, having seized much needed arms and ammunition, it was Lee's plan to sweep in a circle East and South, capturing Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington in succession.

General George G. Meade was placed in command of the Army of the Potomac, and made a forced march north to intercept Lee before he could reach Harrisburg and re-equip his troops. During the last days of June neither army knew the other's exact location or line of march, and both advanced rapidly toward Harrisburg, almost parallel to one another, until the morning of July 1st when they suddenly converged on one another at Gettysburg.

On that morning Battery 'B" was in formation some three or four miles southwest of Gettysburg, near the junction of Marsh Creek and Willoughby Run, and was supported by Doubleday's Division of the First Corps. Hearing the sound of artillery fire off to the north toward Gettysburg, the Battery crossed Marsh Creek and moved along the west bank of Willoughby Run, to the west. About 1:30 p.m., artillery fire opened from Oak Hills, to the right and beyond the Chambersburg Pike, subjecting the Battery to a raking fire. They then withdrew to a meadow just below the Seminary, and being protected from Pegram's fire by the crest, concentrated their guns on the Oak Hill batteries, and on the infantry of the North Carolina Brigade, which was twice driven back and almost annihilated by round after round of caseshot.

By 3:00 p.m., this position became untenable because of a threatening infantry attack from the west, and Captain Cooper moved the Battery back to a position immediately to the front and right of the Seminary. In conjunction with three other Batteries situated to the right - fourteen guns in all - round after round of caseshot, shell, and canister was poured into the attacking forces, repulsing every attempt to dislodge the Pennsylvania troops.

The front then sifted to the left, toward Willoughby Run, whence Perrin's troops came sweeping up the crest toward the Seminary. This charge was met by volleys of musketry from the supporting infantry, and by double loads of canister from Cooper's guns, with such destructive effect that only the colorbearer of Perrin's brigade ever reached the barricade in front of the Battery.

Shortly after 4:00 p.m., Captain Cooper was warned that the supporting infantry had withdrawn from his left flank, and that the Confederate troops were massing for an attack that would make the capture of the Battery inevitable. The guns were quickly limbered up, and a withdrawal was made toward Gettysburg, along the north side of the Seminary, just as the enemy closed in from both flanks.

Passing through the town of Gettysburg, the Battery moved up Cemetery Hill to the position of the present Battery "B" monument, and to which point Captain Cooper had earlier ordered full caissons. At this time, on the order of General Doubleday, Captain Cooper was detailed to staff duty in establishing the strengthening the First Corps lines along this front.

The morning of July 2nd was spent in constructing lunettes for the four guns, and in strengthening their position. Prior to 4:00 p.m. not more than twenty-five rounds were fired, directed at groups of the Confederate infantry and cavalry maneuvering in the distance.

At 4:00 p.m. the enemy opened its attack with 20 guns placed on end to the right of Brenner's Hill, a distance of approximately 1400 yards from the Union batteries on Cemetery Hill. A few minutes later a flank fire was opened by additional Confederate batteries which had occupied the position on Seminary Ridge, held by Battery "B" during the afternoon of July 1st.

Almost immediately a shell exploded at the No. 3 gun of the Battery, killing or wounding every man at that place. However, even before the wounded men could be removed, the crew had been replaced, and the gun was again in action. A short time later the No. 2 gun was struck by a shell and disabled, but a makeshift repair was accomplished, and the gun continued in service until just before the close of the day's engagement.

Of the Confederate attack on their position, one officer of the Battery said, "The shots of the enemy came thick and fast, bursting, crushing and ploughing, a mighty storm of iron hail, a determined and terrible effort of the enemy to cripple and destroy the guns upon the hill {Cemetery Hill}." Against the flank fire from Seminary Ridge, the Battery was defenseless, but so rapid and accurate was the shelling of the Confederate position on Brenner's Hill that, at the end of two-and-a-half hours every opposing battery had been cripple or withdrawn. Over 500 rounds of ammunition were used by the four guns of Cooper's Battery during this interval.

At 7:00 p.m., Battery "B" was relieved by Batteries "F" and "G" of the 1st Pennsylvania Artillery, and retired to the camp of the Artillery Reserve, where the damaged guns were refitted, and the caissons refitted with ammunition.

On July 3rd, the Union line extended in the general form of an arc, starting from the south of Culp's Hill, and swinging in a curve across Cemetery Hill, thence west and south along the line of Taneytown Road to a "Big" Round Top. About 1:00 pm the Confederate artillery opened fire with some 138 guns from their position on the ridge to the West of Emmitsburg Road, and parallel to that portion of the Union line between Cemetery Hill and Round Top. There were at that time only 80 guns in place along this sector of the Union line, and Battery "B" was immediately ordered to the front.

Shortly after Captain Cooper had placed his guns, Pickett's Division began his famous charge, advancing under cover of the barrage laid down by the Confederate artillery. From its position of vantage Battery "B" poured a destructive fire into the division's right flank, and a few minutes later shattered a battery artillery which had moved out from the Confederate line to support Pickett.

Following this disastrous charge there was a brief lull in the battle. Then Wilcox's Alabama Brigade attempted an equally fatal assault, directed at Battery "B" and the adjacent batteries. This charge was met with caseshot and at closer range by double canister, with such deadly effect that Wilcox's Brigade was checked and repulsed without support from the Union Infantry. The failure of this attack marked the virtual close of the battle.

During the three days' engagement, there were 114 officers and men who saw action in the Battery, three of whom were killed, and nine wounded. Approximately five tons, 1050 rounds, were expended.

Although, as a part of the Army of the Potomac, the 1st Pennsylvania Artillery followed in close pursuit of Lee, Battery "B" was not, with the exception of the Battle of Mine Run {November 27, 1863}again engaged during that year, and eventually went into winter quarters near Culpepper, Virginia.

The following spring and early summer saw the Battery engaged in an almost continuous series of engagements, starting with the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-7, 1864), Spotsylvania Court House (May 8-18), North Anna (May 23-27), Totopotomey (May 23-31), Bethesda Church (June 1), Cold Harbor (June 2-4), Petersburg (June 15-19), and Weldon Railroad (August 19-20).

The Battery then was ordered into position at the siege of Petersburg, where it remained constantly in action until the city was taken during the furious assault of April 2, 1865. A week later, on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox, they participated in the final action of the war. On June 9, 1865, the Battery was mustered out a Harrisburg, having been in service four years and one day.

The Battery's normal strength was from 100-152 men. Having either four or six guns, according to the men available. Its total enrollment during the four years was 332 officers and men, of whom 21 were killed or died from wounds, and an additional 52 were seriously wounded. This was the greatest number of casualties sustained by any volunteer battery of light artillery in the Union Army.

As an original command, Battery "B" was the only part of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps which served with the Army of the Potomac throughout the entire war. The Battery fought in twenty-seven of the principal engagements of the Army of the Potomac, and was actively engaged in nine of the twelve major battle of the entire war.

On June 8, 1869, the first reunion of Battery 'B" was held in the Nesbit Grove, directly south of the old Methodist Episcopal Church and southeast of the present United Presbyterian Church, Mt. Jackson, Pa.

Annually "the 8th of June" was a memorable day in the village. The townswomen spent days preparing food for expected guests and unexpected company. Lawns were well groomed and the blooming rose bushes, shrubbery and vegetable gardens were primped to perfection.

American flags waved in front of every home in the village of Mount Jackson to give a patriotic atmosphere to welcome veterans of Battery "B', their relatives and friends. Many people engaged space to ride from New Castle in the bandwagon which arrived by 10:00 in the forenoon.

The parade, headed by a band from New Galilee, and other outlying towns, would usher the veterans in their march from the home of Reverend John Bailey (now the U. P. Manse). Billie Caskey played clarinet in the band. The line of march went south on Mill Street and down the hill as far as the present Battery "B" drive, where they turned left across the fields to the picnic grounds. There were the veterans assembled on the platform erected for their use and held a morning business meeting each year prior to the picnic. Horses and buggies from town and countryside lined the rail fences surrounding the picnic area, and the majority of people were on the grounds by ten o'clock.

Basket picnics were arranged on the grass by dozens of families and friends. Lemonade in large galvanized tubs and crocks quenched the thirst of hundreds, especially the children who bought big ham sandwiches from a stand within the grounds. It was the only place they had to invest their ten or twenty cents.

After the picnic and period of fellowship, the Battery "B" veterans assembled on the speakers' platform which had been well decorated in red, white and blue bunting. There were special speakers on their annual programs to entertain the older people, who sat on "comfortable" plank seats erected for annual use, well weather-beaten through they years. Romantic young couples roamed through the grove, while children found their please sitting the bandwagon drinking more lemonade.

The crowd disbursed around 4:00 for home for a period of relaxation with their hostess. There was always some type of evening entertainment in one of the churches or a concert in the old school. The offerings realized from such programs added to a monument fund to honor Battery "B" men in Mt. Jackson and vicinity.

In 1907 it was thought the center of the crossroads in Mt. Jackson would be a central location for the monument, but it was later decided to erect it on land at the foot of the Methodist Episcopal Church hill. More than one thousand dollars was raised or pledged in 1908 and the monument was finished by mid-June, 1912, with an outstanding balance of only $270.00 which was contributed from friends on the grounds at the reunion held on Friday, June 28, 1912. After the picnic and program, the remaining members of the battery were taken to the dedication service. Judge William E. Porter, President of the Battery B Association, dedicated the monument free from debt, assisted by Miss Mary Cooper, daughter of the late Captain J. H. Cooper, when she unveiled the monument which had been draped with the American flag.

 Reverend Albert J. McCartney, former pastor of Westfield Presbyterian Church, and later president of the Battery 'B" Memorial Association, at the 1908 reunion stated: "I wish it generally understood that the proposed memorial is to be dedicated to ALL soldiers and not exclusively to Battery "B" although they and their friends are taking the initiative in raising the funds."

The reunions continued to meet on June 8th for several years, later changing to June 28th, the anniversary date the Battery was sworn into United States service. They gathered in Westfield Grange Hall a few years, later in the old Mt. Jackson school building known as the American Legion Hall (now torn down), and, finally in the North Beaver Township School in Mt. Jackson.

Citizens and friends later raised a fund which made possible the erection of a Battery "B" monument on the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

May the Battery "B" monuments stand for time and eternity to tell the story of valor and patriotism of the men from Mt. Jackson and vicinity, who served in the great Civil War from 1861-1865 - - four long years and one day.

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View the 43rd Pennsylvania, Battery "B" Roster

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