1st Michigan Light Artillery Battery "B"

They left the State for the field under the command of Captain Ross on the 17th. of December, 1861, clothed and mounted, but without guns. The Battery first met the Confederates at the battle of Pittsburgh Landing on April 6, 1862, where they became heavily engaged, doing efficient and gallant service, but after a severe struggle, being attacked repeatedly by an overwhelming force, they were cut off from their infantry support, losing four of their six guns, with 52 officers and men prisoners in the hands of the southern forces, including Lieutenants Bliss and Arndt.

A dispatch sent to the Chicago Times says:

"There was more fighting over this battery than any other battery on the field. The rebel troops attacked it under the immediate direction of General Beauregard, who urged forward three regiments, and who at the time received a bullet wound in the arm from a volley fired by our troops."

The Chicago Tribune account:

"The fight over this battery was conducted by General Beauregard in person. In his efforts he was wounded in the arm."

Following is a letter of Lieutenant Laing, the only officer in the battery who escaped capture, and who saved a section.

Pittsburgh Landing,Tenn.

April 10th., 1862

"I am sorry to inform you that Captain W.H. Ross, and Second Lieutenants W.S. Bliss and A.F.R. Arndt, together with 49 men of the Second Battery are prisoners of war in the hands of the enemy, with four guns of the battery.

I will give a hasty sketch of our action in the battle: On Sunday morning, about six O'Clock, we heard heavy firing , but it was deemed to be some distance from us. We were preparing to be reviewed with General Hurlbut's division. At seven O'Clock, when about to set down to breakfast, the firing appeared to be close upon us. The Captain ordered all out, and in a few minutes we started in the direction of the firing. We had not gone more than a mile when we came into position and opened fire. The enemy's line of battle could be seen very distinctly. We were soon ordered to retire to allow the infantry to advance, but after a few minutes we moved forward again, bearing to the right. This was on a clear open field. We held this position about an hour and a half, then retired again, and took another position, beside a log house. Here was our hottest place, the fire was terrific. After this we could not get any support, the infantry were retiring so fast. The battle-field now extended to our camp. The Captain directed me to get as much of my section away as fast as possible in case of probable capture. I started in company with the Orderly, but could only use four horses, with which I started with the Parrot gun in the direction of the river. I left a corporal to spike the six pounder should the enemy advance before I returned, but to my astonishment on returning, I found the enemy had driven us in over a mile. I could hear nothing of the battery. I then took a direction to the right, when I saw General Sherman, and got in front of his line, but was soon ordered back, and had just got inside of the line when he opened fire. At five O'Clock I learned that the battery and all the men who were with it were captured by rebel cavalry, very near the position where I left them. Our Captain has won quite a name. General Hurlbut says our battery supported him better than any other during the whole of Sunday."

C.W. Laing,

Lieut.2d Mich. Battery

Lieutenant Bliss, with the other officers was sent to Montgomery, Alabama, where he was brutally murdered by a rebel sentinel, May 1, 1862, under the following circumstances. He had permission, as many others had, to go to a house near the prison to purchase milk, on this occasion it was for the sick officers unable to go themselves. On this errand of kindness, he was accompanied by a sentinel, and while waiting for the canteens to be filled by the woman of the house, the sentinel roughly ordered him to "hurry up", to which he replied,"Yes, as soon as I can get my canteens." The sentinel cocked his rifle, placing the muzzle close to Bliss's breast. Bliss said, "I hope you will not shoot me", "Yes, I will, you damned Yankee," replied the sentinel, and at that moment fired. Bliss fell dead and never spoke again. He lived about three-quarters of an hour.

The woman of the house where the murderous act took place, made this statement. Soon after the war she was compelled to leave the country and go North, being satisfied that her own life was in imminent danger on account of the many acts of kindness extended to Union prisoners at that place.

The remaining section, under the command of Lieut. Laing, was afterwards connected with a Missouri battery and was engaged in the Siege of Corinth in May of 1862, and at the battle of Corinth, October 3rd. and 4th. following.

The men and officers taken prisoner at the battle of Shiloh, having been exchanged, this Battery, under the command of Captain Ross, left Detroit December 25, 1862, for Columbus, Kentucky. They remained at that place, manning the guns in the fortifications until January 4th., 1863, when they proceeded via Memphis, Tennessee, to Corinth, Mississippi, where they arrived on the ninth. During January and February they were joined by the men who had been on detached service with the 1st. Missouri Artillery, and received their guns, horses and equipments.

On March the 9th., they marched to Bethel, Tennessee, where they were stationed until June the 7th., when they returned to Corinth.

Captain Ross have been promoted to Major, the Battery under the command of Captain A.F.R.Arndt was transferred from Corinth to Pulaski, Tennessee, early in 1863. In December, 48 of the enlisted men, who were eligible, under orders to do so, re-enlisted as veterans, then on the 7th. of January 1864, left Pulaski for their promised furlough in Michigan. Rendezvousing at Detroit at the expiration of the furloughs, the Battery again left for the field, reaching Pulaski, February 26th. On the 21st. of April they moved to Athens, Alabama, on the 30th. of the month began its march, via Huntsville, Bridgeport, Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, Resaca and Kingston, towards Rome, at which place they arrived on the 22nd of May, having been engaged at Resaca, May 9th., losing two men severely wounded. They had also been engaged at Lay's Ferry on the 14th., at Calhoun on the 15th., and at Rome Cross Roads on the 16th., where Lieut. Wright and two men were wounded.

At Rome the Battery found and took possession of four light pieces of artillery and six, five inch howitzers. On the 14th. of October they left Rome and marched, via Calhoun, Resaca, Snake Creek Gap to Cave Springs, Georgia, having an engagement with the Confederates at Turkey Creek on the 26th., without loss.

During the month of October, the Battery marched 250 miles. Its loss in the year being wounded in action, four, died of wounds, one and eleven of disease.

On November the 1st., 1864, the Battery left Cave Springs, under the command of Captain Arndt, for Smyrna, where they arrived on the 6th., whence they started with General Sherman's army on the Savannah Campaign on the 13th., then on the 22nd. the Battery became engaged with the Confederates at Griswald, with a loss of seven wounded, two losing each a leg, and one an arm, and six horses killed. In this affair the Battery accomplished most excellent service, distinguishing itself by rapid and effective firing, doing great execution. In this engagement the brigade with which they were serving, numbering in all only about 15000, defeated the southerners, having a much superior force, of which 1500 to 2000 were killed, wounded or taken prisoners, while the entire loss of the brigade was not over 80. The Battery lost seven wounded, including its commander, Captain Arndt, while two of the enlisted men each lost a leg and one an arm. The conduct of both officers and men was most gallant, fighting to the last round of ammunition was gone, the horses of one gun all killed, and the piece was barely saved by drawing it from the field by the prolong.

Engaged again on the 8th. of December, at Ogeechie River, and also in front of Savannah, from the 11th. to the 20th., they entered that city in the 21st. Leaving Savannah January 19, 1865, they arrived at Pocotaligo, South Carolina on the 23rd., then under the command of Lieut. E.B. Wright, started on Sherman's campaign through North and South Carolina, on the 30th., and on February 6th. engaged the southern forces at the Salkehatchie River, then again on February the 15th. at the Congaree River, near Columbia, arriving at the latter place on the 20th. Passing through Cheraw on March the 4th., they arrived at Fayetteville on the 12th., when on the 20th., the Battery then commanded by Captain Wright, Captain Arndt having been promoted to a Major in the Regiment, became engaged with the Confederates at Cox's Bridge, on the Neuse River, then again on the 21st. at Bentonville, with a loss of one wounded. They then proceeded to Goldsboro, arriving there on the 24th., leaving that point on the 12th. of April, they reached Raleigh on the 14th., then started for Petersburg, Virginia, on the 29th., arriving there on May the 7th. On the 13th. they passed through Richmond, arriving at Alexandria on the 18th., then participated in the Grand Review of the Union army on the 24th. On the 30th. and the 31st., its guns were returned to the Ordinance Department, then on the 1st. of June the officers and men left for Michigan, arriving at Detroit on the 6th., they were mustered out of the service on the 14th., then soon after paid off and disbanded.

During their term of Federal service, they were engaged at:

Pittsburgh Landing,TN/ Seige of Corinth,Ms / Resaca,Ga Lay's Ferry,Ga/ Calhoun Ferry,Ga/ Rome Cross Roads,Ga/ Cave Springs,Ga Turkey Ridge,Al Griswald,Ga/ Ogeechee River,Ga/ Savannah,Ga / Salkehatchie River,Ga/ Columbia,SC/ Cox's Bridge,NC/ Bentonville,NC

Total Enrollment--235..... Killed as Prisoners--2..... Died of Disease--33

Copyright © 1995, Don Harvey, Revised 13 June 1996