10th Texas Field Battery

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10th Texas Field Battery
Pratt's Texas Battery
Hynson's Texas Battery
ActiveMarch 1, 1861 – May 26, 1865
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Branch Confederate States Army
TypeArtillery
EngagementsAmerican Civil War

The 10th Texas Field Battery (also known as Pratt's Texas Battery and Hynson's Texas Battery) was an artillery battery that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. After being formed in early 1861 by Benjamin H. Pratt, the battery served with a cavalry formation for part of 1862 before operating along the Mississippi River in early 1863. The unit then participated in and the Battle of Pine Bluff in 1863. Late in 1864, the battery, now under the command of H. C. Hynson, served in Price's Raid, participating in several battles and skirmishes, including the disastrous Battle of Mine Creek. The unit's service ended on May 26, 1865.

Early service[]

John S. Marmaduke, CSA

The 10th Texas Field Battery was organized on March 1, 1861.[1] The unit was raised by Benjamin H. Pratt, a Texas railroader. When the battery was mustered into service in Jefferson, Texas, it contained 72 men drawn from Harrison, Marion, and Cass counties. During part of 1862, the battery along with a cavalry unit under the command of Colonel William Henry Parsons, although the unit was generally detached from Parsons's direct command.[2] Official Confederate documents dated September 28, 1862, listed Pratt's Battery was part of Parsons's brigade.[3] Further official orders from Major General Theophilus Holmes dated two days later ordered Colonel Dandridge McRae to move to Des Arc, Arkansas, with his infantry formation and take command of Pratt's Battery.[4] During the early part of 1863, the battery served along the Mississippi River and sometimes harassed Union Navy shipping; it was said to have caused one sinking and to have damaged another ship.[2] In the spring, while still commanded by Pratt, the battery served under Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke during .[2]

During Marmaduke's raid, which lasted from April 17 to May 2, Pratt's battery served under Colonel .[2] After the raid failed, Marmaduke's men concentrated on Crowley's Ridge in early May.[5] Still serving under Carter,[6] the battery, which was now armed with four cannons, moved to the location of Colt, Arkansas, (then known as Taylor's Creek) along with the rest of Carter's brigade as part of a plan to capture a Union cavalry force operating in the area.[7] Early on May 11, Carter's men made contact with the Union cavalry, bringing on the .[8] During the action, Marmaduke detached two of Pratt's cannons 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south, as he was worried about Union reinforcements and wanted to protect the center of his line.[9] After a brief skirmish, the Union cavalry retreated, but were able to escape as Carter did not order a pursuit.[10] The battery then returned to operating against river shipping, this time both on the Mississippi River and the Arkansas River. When Confederate troops abandoned the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, on September 10, Pratt's battery was at the Arkansas River, where it covered the crossing of the retreating Confederate units.[2]

When Marmaduke moved against the city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in October, Pratt's battery accompanied him.[2] On October 24, Marmaduke readied his forces to begin moving towards the city and its Union garrison. Near the Saline River, the Confederate force split to conduct a pincer attack. Pratt's battery was part of Colonel Robert C. Newton's wing of the Confederate force, as part of Major B. D. Chenoweth's brigade.[11] Early on the 25th, Newton's cavalry reached a brickyard southeast of Pine Bluff, where they dismounted and waited for the other wing of the Confederate force to fire a signal shot.[12] Once the shot was fired, Newton's men, led by Wood's Missouri Cavalry Battalion, charged the town, but were halted by Union defenders. Pratt's battery was then deployed to fire on Union sharpshooters deployed in houses; the defenders were driven back further into the town by the fire.[13] The Union soldiers were eventually driven back into a barricaded position in the town square. Pratt's battery was brought up to fire on the position and particularly Union troops in the cupola of the courthouse.[14] While the courthouse cupola defenders were driven out of their positions, the main Union barricades held. Ruffner's Missouri Battery had been firing from a churchyard, and Pratt's battery joined the Missouri gunners in that position.[14] The Union position could not be beat down into resistance, and Marmaduke believed that a frontal attack would be too costly, so the Confederates abandoned the town in the mid-afternoon.[15]

Price's Raid[]

Main article: Price's Raid
Map of Price's Raid
Map of Price's Raid

In early 1864, Pratt was elevated to the rank of major and placed in command of a four-battery formation that included in his former unit. H. C. Hynson took command of the battery. When Major General Sterling Price invaded the state of Missouri in late 1864, Hynson's battery accompanied the expedition.[2] During Price's Raid, the battery was armed with three cannons and was assigned to Marmaduke's division.[16] On September 27, Price's men were preparing to attack a Union defensive position at Fort Davidson; the Battle of Fort Davidson would be fought that day. As part of the preparation for attacking the fort, two guns each from Harris's Missouri Battery and Hynson's battery were attempted to be dragged up to the top of Shepherd Mountain, but only two pieces could be brought to the summit.[17] The Confederate attacks against Fort Davidson were unsuccessful, although the fort was taken the next day after its defenders abandoned it.[18] Price then moved his army northwest; plans to attack the cities of St. Louis and Jefferson City were abandoned due to the strength of the positions.[19]

During the movement across Missouri, Hynson's battery fought in a skirmish at California in early October.[20] The Confederate column continued west and reached the vicinity of Kansas City in late October. On October 22, pursuing Union cavalry caught up with Price's rear guard near Independence, bringing on the Second Battle of Independence.[21] Hynson's battery was engaged during the action.[22] The next day, the battery saw more action as part of a Confederate defensive line during the Battle of Byram's Ford.[23] Price's army was decisively defeated at the Battle of Westport and began retreating through Kansas. The victorious Union soldiers pursued Price, and caught up to part of his army, bringing on the Battle of Marais des Cygnes on October 25.[24] At Marais des Cygnes, Hynson's battery was armed with three cannons, variously reported as either a 6-pounder smoothbore and two Parrott rifles[25] or a 6-pounder smoothbore and two 12-pounder Napoleons.[26] During the end of the battle, the battery was part of a force commanded by Brigadier General John B. Clark Jr. that provided a rear guard for the retreating Confederates. Due an ammunition shortage, Hynson's battery left the 6-pounder on the field when Clark's men finally abandoned the field.[27][28] One Confederate officer present at the battle stated that the battery "did such good execution that the enemy were compelled to fall back".[25]

Later on the 25th, Price's Confederate fought another action, the Battle of Mine Creek. Hynson's gunners manned two cannons on the right of the Confederate line at Mine Creek.[29] Another cannon in the middle of the Confederate line was either crewed by Hynson's men[30] or Hughey's Arkansas Battery.[31] During the battle, Union cavalry charged the Confederate line, and came under canister fire from Hyson's and Harris's batteries.[32] Once the Union attack hit home, the Confederate defenders routed, and Mine Creek ended in a Confederate disaster, with many cannons and hundreds of many, including Marmaduke, captured. Price's defeated survivors continued retreating until they reached Texas in December.[33] Pratt was fatally wounded during the retreat.[2] The battery's service ended on May 26, 1865.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Civil War Regiments: Texas". The Ohio State University. July 22, 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Bailey, Anne J. "Tenth Texas Field Artillery". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  3. ^ Official Records 1885, p. 884–885.
  4. ^ Official Records 1885, p. 978.
  5. ^ Kohl 2005, p. 146.
  6. ^ Kohl 2005, p. 150.
  7. ^ Kohl 2005, pp. 155–156.
  8. ^ Kohl 2005, p. 158.
  9. ^ Kohl 2005, p. 159.
  10. ^ Kohl 2005, pp. 164–166.
  11. ^ Bearss 1964, pp. 294–296.
  12. ^ Bearss 1964, p. 296.
  13. ^ Bearss 1964, p. 302.
  14. ^ a b Bearss 1964, p. 306.
  15. ^ Bearss 1964, p. 308.
  16. ^ Collins 2016, p. 193.
  17. ^ Sinisi 2020, pp. 78–79.
  18. ^ Castel 1998, pp. 380–382.
  19. ^ Kennedy 1998, p. 382.
  20. ^ Lause 2016, p. 19.
  21. ^ Kennedy 1998, pp. 382–383.
  22. ^ Lause 2016, p. 94.
  23. ^ Sinisi 2020, p. 238.
  24. ^ Kennedy 1998, p. 384.
  25. ^ a b Collins 2016, p. 133.
  26. ^ Sinisi 2020, p. 274.
  27. ^ Collins 2016, pp. 133–135.
  28. ^ Sinisi 2020, pp. 274–275.
  29. ^ Sinisi 2020, pp. 278–279.
  30. ^ Sinisi 2020, p. 279.
  31. ^ Collins 2016, p. 165.
  32. ^ Sinisi 2020, p. 282.
  33. ^ Kennedy 1998, pp. 384–386.

Sources[]

  • Bearss, Edwin C. (Winter 1964). "Marmaduke Attacks Pine Bluff". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. Arkansas Historical Association. 23 (4): 291–313. doi:10.2307/40030666. ISSN 0004-1823. JSTOR 40030666.
  • Castel, Albert (1998). "Pilot Knob, Missouri". In Kennedy, Frances H. (ed.). The Civil War Battlefield Guide (2nd ed.). Boston/New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-395-74012-5.
  • Collins, Charles D. Jr. (2016). Battlefield Atlas of Price's Missouri Expedition of 1864 (PDF). Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: Combat Studies Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-940804-27-9.
  • Kennedy, Frances H., ed. (1998). The Civil War Battlefield Guide (2nd ed.). Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-395-74012-5.
  • Kohl, Rhonda M. (Summer 2005). "Raising Thunder with the Secesh: Powell Clayton's Federal Cavalry at Taylor's Creek and Mount Vernon, Arkansas, May 11, 1863". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 64 (2): 146–170. JSTOR 40031057.
  • Lause, Mark A. (2016). The Collapse of Price's Raid: The Beginning of the End in Civil War Missouri. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press. ISBN 978-0-826-22025-7.
  • Sinisi, Kyle S. (2020) [2015]. The Last Hurrah: Sterling Price's Missouri Expedition of 1864 (paperback ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-4151-9.
  • The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. 15. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. 1885. OCLC 262466842.
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