Sherman’s Battery Corrective

28 03 2023

Sherman’s Battery.

This celebrated company of Artillery seems destined to immortality. Every item of Southern news has a new claimant for the honor of its capture at Bull run. It is scarcely exaggeration to say that there was not a single company, engaged on the side of the Rebels at Bull Run, that does not swear by all the gods of sescessiondom that to it alone is the honor due to taking Sheman’s Battery. A number of Army officers fresh from the seat of war – and among them Major, now General Sherman – have passed through Elkton within the last week, and their united testimony is, that Sherman’s Battery is now in Washington, every one of the six pieces is safe and sound; having been brought from the field by the skill and bravery of Captain Ayres and the noble men under his command., every one of whom loves the guns as dearly as sweetheart or wife.

The company lost twelve men in the battle and Lt. Lorain[1] was severely wounded by a rifle ball in the foot.

When Major Sherman arrived in Washington this spring, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and since then to Brigadier-General. His name is Thomas W. Sherman, and is often confounded with Col. W. T. Sherman, of Ohio.

Another error, which we see frequently in the papers, is, that this is Bragg’s or Ringgold’s Battery. It is neither, both of them being unfit for use, and long ago laid up.

The peace establishment of an Artillery company is four guns, which number Major Sherman had here last spring, all smooth bore. Two rifled guns were afterwards added to make up the war establishment.

These are facts.

The (Elkton, MD) Cecil Whig, 8/17/1861

Clipping image

[1] Lt. Lorenzo Lorain at Oregon History Project





Co. D, 5th U. S. Artillery, Co. E, 3rd U. S. Artillery, Co. G, 1st U. S. Artillery, After the Battle

28 03 2023

Our Batteries.

The West Point Battery[1] is badly cut up, It loses all the caissons and equipments, five pieces, forty horses, and five men killed and seven wounded. All the guns were thoroughly disables before they were abandoned.

The Ayres Battery[2], formerly Sherman’s, was brought off without any loss of consequence.

The Seymour Battery[3] was all saved except one 30 pound rifled gun that was thrown off the bridge, and so lost.

Pittsburgh (PA) Gazette, 7/27/1861

Clipping image

[1] Co. D, 5th U. S. Artillery

[2] Co. E, 3rd U. S. Artillery

[3] Co. G, 1st U. S. Artillery