The men who made up the Pee Dee Light Artillery came from the
Darlington District in South Carolina. They were Company D, (Pee
Dee Rifles) of the First Regiment South Carolina Volunteer
Infantry. This was one of the regiments that comprised Maxcy
Gregg's Brigade. These men were part of the troops raised in
South Carolina to lay siege to Fort Sumter. They were sent to Virginia
in August 1861.
By the spring of 1862 the enlistments of the men of the First
had run out. Being Southern patriots, they immediately
re-enlisted. The regiment was made up of eleven companies. This
being one company more than a standard regiment, it was decided
to convert Company D into a field artillery unit. The battery was
put in the command of Captain David McIntosh, and was known as
either McIntosh's Battery or Pee Dee Light Artillery. This
battery was equipped with four guns, two 6-pounders (another
account indicates two 12-pounder howitzers) ,and two 3-inch
rifles. The rifles proved to be very inaccurate and were returned
to Richmond, Virginia, to be melted down. These would be the
first of several guns to be used by the Pee Dee Light Artillery.
By now you are probably wondering where these men came up with
the name "Pee Dee". These men came from the Darlington
District through which runs the Pee Dee River, which got its name
from a tribe of Indians by that name.
The first major action that the Battery took part in was at
Mechanicsville, June 26, 1862. Here it is believed that they were
the first battery to open fire on the enemy. The Battery
supported General A.P. Hill's Division during its attack on
General McCall's Division of Pennsylvanians. The Federals
occupied a very strong natural position on a rise above Beaver
Dam Creek, and they were supported by 36 pieces of artillery. The
Battery was ordered into a position on the Confederate right to
support the advance of A.P. Hill's men. The Battery went in at a
gallop, and unlimbered under fire about 4 PM. The men immediately
commenced a very heavy and rapid fire on the enemy artillery,
during which one of the howitzers broke its axle after
discharging several rounds. Most of the men of the Battery had
been greatly weakened by disease, but they manned the remaining
three guns for another five hours, expending an average of 160
rounds per gun. One howitzer was discharged 239 times causing it
to heat up so much that the chase drooped. Having used up all of
its ammunition, the Battery withdrew during the night to obtain a
fresh supply. The ruined howitzer barrel was buried in a ditch
near Drainsville. Casualties sustained during this action were:
one killed, one wounded, seven horses killed, and one gun
dismounted.
The Battery having received a new supply of ammunition
returned to action at Cold Harbor. There they fired a few rounds,
but had to stop as their own troops were in the line of fire.
During the next two days the Battery was under fire at Frazier's
Farm and Malvern Hill, but did not engage the enemy.
During this time the artillery was reorganized. McIntosh's
Battery became part of the artillery battalion commanded by Col.
R. Lindsay Walker, A.P. Hill's Light Division. The other
batteries of the battalion were: Fredericksburg Artillery,
Crenshaw's Battery, Letcher Artillery, Middlesex Artillery,
Branch Artillery, and Purcells Artillery.
On August 24, 1862, the Battery took part in a cannonade
across the Rapponhannock near Warrenton Springs. Two days and
fifty some miles of marching later, the Battery took part in
driving off a New Jersey Brigade at Manassas Junction. Their
commander, Brig. General G.W. Taylor, foolishly marched four
regiments into Manassas Junction, which was occupied by General
Jackson's troops. The Confederates were in the process of
re-supplying themselves from the Federal supply depot located
there. Both sides were somewhat surprised at seeing each other.
The Federals, however, were caught in a crossfire between the
Confederate infantry and artillery. This fire quickly routed
them. The Battery suffered no casualties here.
August 28, 1862, the Battery came under heavy musket fire near
Groveton, Virginia, but suffered no casualties. The next day the
Pee Dee Lt. Art. was engaged at Second Manassas. Here they
supported General Maxcy Gregg's Brigade, and helped break up six
determined charges by the Federals against the Confederate left.
General Gregg's men held a position in an unfinished railroad cut
located along a wooded ridge overlooking the Sudley Road. The
Battery was located on higher ground behind them. Early in the
fighting General Gregg ordered Captain McIntosh to get the range
of a distant point on the left. The battery then resumed firing
upon the enemy in their front. Some time later a cannon shot
ricocheted past from the very spot that had been ranged in on.
Captain McIntosh brought a section to bear on the enemy battery
and silenced it with a few well aimed shots, dismounting one of
the enemy's guns. After the battle the Battery was given two
Napoleons to replace their two six pounder howitzers. The
Battery's losses were one killed and one wounded. Considering the
nature of the battle they were indeed fortunate.
About nightfall on September 1st, the Battery supported the
Gregg's Brigade at Ox Hill. The battery was ordered into a
position on some high ground to the left of the Little River
Turnpike. This action took place during a driving rainstorm, and
after it was over the men had great difficulty getting their guns
out of the mud and back on the road. The Battery had no
casualties during this engagement.
On September 16,
1862 one of the Battery's guns had the honor
of signaling the attack on Harper's Ferry. Another gun of the
unit pushed forward during the fighting almost under the enemy's
works, when finally the Federals surrendered. The Battery
received food, clothing, ammunition, horses, and two guns, a
Napoleon and a rifle, all at the expense of the Federals. At this
point the battery was equipped with a 10-pounder
Parrott, a 3-inch rifle, a Napoleon, and a 12-pounder
howitzer. There were some casualties, but I haven't been able to
find how many.
The following day the battery made a forced march to
Sharpsburg going into battle short of men as some had not been
able to keep up with the rapid movement. This shortage was made
up with officers and drivers. The Battery took a position along
the Harper's Ferry Road where the Sawmill Road meets it, and
fired a few shots. Seeing that they were needed closer to
Sharpsburg, they limbered up and moved 400 yards down the
Harper's Ferry Road and moved into a field. One of the guns broke
an axle crossing a ditch. The remaining three guns took a
position that raked the advancing lines of the 8th Connecticut,
with double charges of canister, as they tried to pass in front
of them. Finally, with ammunition almost gone and the enemy
almost on top of the guns, the men retreated with their limbers,
sponges, and flag taking up a position with the caissons. The
action on the part of the Battery helped buy Lee's army enough
time so that A.P. Hill's infantry could get there and throw back
the Federals, saving the Army of Virginia from defeat. The guns
had been lost to the enemy, but only for about 20 minutes as the
Federals were unable to drag them off before being forced to
retreat. After the battle, 80 Yankee dead were counted in front
of one of the guns. The Battery's losses were one killed, one
wounded, and many of the horses it had gotten at Harper's Ferry
were also killed.
At the Battle of Fredericksburg in December the Pee Dee
Battery teamed up with Marmaduke Johnson's Battery and Purcell's
Battery in a position on a wooded crest to the left of Hamilton's
Crossing. The Battery helped repel six determined charges, four
of which came within close quarters, requiring the use of double
charges of canister. During this time the battery was ordered to
fire only on the infantry, and so had to endure the undistracted
fire of the enemy artillery. That night the Battery was relieved
and ordered to the rear to replenish ammunition. The next day
General Jackson, who had been pleased with their work the day
before, ordered their return to the same position. They stayed
there "a short time before being relieved again. This battle
had been a costly one for the Battery. A third of its sixty-six
men were killed or wounded. Twenty-five horses were killed or
disabled, two guns were dismounted, and one limber and one
caisson exploded.
The Battery then went into winter quarters near Milford
Station until spring. Captain McIntosh was promoted and given
command of a battalion of light artillery. The command of the Pee
Dee Lt. Art. was given to the newly promoted Captain Ervin
Brunson. The Battery was then transferred to Major Pegram's
Battalion.
The Pee Dee Lt. Art. arrived in the Chancellorsville area
Friday, May 1, coming under fire, but not engaged. The next
morning a section from another battery, and one gun from the Pee
Dee was sent forward to feel the Federal position on their left.
This small group immediately came under the fire of 18 of the
enemy's guns as they unlimbered. The sections were pulled back to
a position on a hill were they all continued to receive heavy
fire. The Battery suffered a loss of three killed, two wounded,
four horses killed, and one cassion exploded. That afternoon the
Battery moved with General Jackson's troops around to the enemy's
right flank, and took part in routing Major General Howard's men
of the 11th Corps. That evening General Jackson was shot, and one
of the battery sergeants was sent out to inform General JEB
Stuart.
The next morning the Pee Dee Battery took a position on the
Turnpike Road leading into Chancellorsville. Following a general
advance by the Confederate forces, they occupied the abandoned
works of the Federals. In this position they gave and received a
heavy fire, but being protected by fortifications left by the
enemy, they only suffered four wounded and eight horses killed.
After the Chancellorsville campaign, the Battery went into camp
near Milford, Va. for rest and recruitment. While there twelve
men were captured while out looking for horses.
The Pee Dee Light Artillery was part of the Confederate
artillery that opened the Battle of Gettysburg. The unit was
posted along the Chambersburg Pike with the batteries of Pegram,
and Poague. There they opened on Federal artillery forcing them
to limber up and retreat three separate times. During the firing
one of the guns broke an axle while discharging. The combined
fire of the Confederate artillery also inflicted severe loses
upon the enemy infantry. On the second day, the Battery was
positioned a mile to the right of the Pike and forward of its
previous position. From there they opened on the Federals
whenever they could. They stayed in this position and were part
of the artillery that bombarded the Federal artillery prior to
Pickett's Charge. During this battle, the Battery lost two
killed, seven wounded, twenty horses, one gun and one caisson
dismounted, and one caisson exploded.
In 1864, the Battery was unable to take part in the Battle of
the Wilderness because they didn't have enough horses. They were
able, however, to participate in the battles around Spotsylvania
Court House, where they lost one killed and three wounded. Their
last engagement in Virginia was June 3rd. on the Chickahominy
near Cold Harbor.
By this time the Battery had lost so many men that it was
feared that they would be converted back to infantry. So a deal
was made with Captain Thomas Gregg who commanded a light battery
in Charleston, South Carolina to switch men. This was done so
that the Pee Dee Lt. Art. would have the opportunity to recruit
new men, and build up their depleted ranks. In sixty days they
had done so. The unit then served for several months as a heavy
artillery battery at Battery Ryan on James Island.
By January, 1865, the Battery was again equipped with light
artillery, and attached to Major General William Hardee's
command. The Battery took part in the River's Bridge action on
the Salkahatchie. This was an attempt to stop Gen. Sherman's
forces from advancing into South Carolina. The Confederates were
forced to retreat northward and join Gen. Johnston's Army near
Greensboro, North Carolina. It was here that the Pee Dee Lt. Art.
was surrendered on April 18,1865.
However, the Colors were never surrendered, but were concealed
under the clothes of R.C. Nettles and returned to Miss Lou
McIntosh who had helped make the flag at the beginning of the
war. The flag was featured at all the reunions of the Battery
after the war until 1904. By this time there were very few men
left, and it was decided to turn the flag over to the State of
South Carolina.
Most of this material was summarized from PEE
DEE LIGHT ARTILLERY of Maxcy Gregg's (Later Samuel McGowan's)
Brigade, First South Carolina Volunteers (Infantry) C.S.A. A
Historical Sketch and Roster by Sgt. Joseph Woods Brunson Introduced
and edited by William Stanley Hoole 1983
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