| Harris's Battery 4th Missouri Field Battery | |
|---|---|
| Active | Early 1864 – May 26, 1865 |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Branch |  Confederate States Army |
| Type | Artillery |
| Equipment | 4 ×6-pounder smoothbore cannons |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
Harris's Missouri Battery (officially known as the4th Missouri Field Battery) was anartillery battery that served in theConfederate States Army during theAmerican Civil War. The battery was organized in early 1864 when the 13th Missouri Light Battery was reorganized in a process that may not have been officially approved;Captain Samuel Stanhope Harris commanded the new unit. The battery fought in theCamden Expedition in early 1864, seeing action in theBattle of Prairie D'Ane and theBattle of Poison Spring in April. In June, the battery was present at theBattle of Ditch Bayou. Harris's Battery accompaniedSterling Price during hisraid into Missouri in late 1864, during which it fought at the battles ofPilot Knob,Glasgow,Little Blue River,Big Blue River, andMine Creek, as well as several smaller skirmishes. At Mine Creek, the battery's cannons were captured. On May 26, 1865, the battery surrendered; the men of the battery wereparoled.
The origins of Harris's Battery date to early 1864, when the 13th Missouri Light Battery underwent a reorganization that may not have been officially sanctioned.[1]Captain Daniel B. Griswold was replaced as commander of the battery by Captain Samuel Stanhope Harris when the battery was reorganized; the reasons for the change in command are unknown.GeneralEdmund Kirby Smith, commander of the department in which the battery served, questioned the change in command and reorganization, but Harris retained command of the battery.[1][a] After the reorganization, the battery served in the brigade ofBrigadier GeneralJohn S. Marmaduke and was armed with four6-pounder smoothbore cannons.[3]
WhenMajor GeneralFrederick Steele of theUnion Army began theCamden Expedition in the spring of 1864 to support theRed River Campaign, Harris's Battery was part of the Confederate force sent to confront Steele.[3] On April 10, during theBattle of Prairie D'Ane, Harris's Battery, along withCollins' Missouri Battery, participated in an artillery duel with three Union batteries: theSpringfield Illinois Light Artillery,Battery E, 2nd Missouri Light Artillery, andVoegele's Wisconsin Battery. The firefight began around 5:00 p.m. and continued until after sunset. The Confederate artillery fire was not very effective, as the Confederate cannons were of "old and inferior pattern" according to historian Michael J. Forsyth.[4] On April 15, the battery was involved in a skirmish near Gallups; it next fought at theBattle of Poison Spring on the 18th.[3] At Poison Spring, Harris's Battery was part of the brigade ofColonelColton Greene.[5] The battery was position on the rightflank on the Confederate line[3] and provided artillery support for a Confederate charge against a Union wagon train.[5][6]
On April 29, the battery accompanied Greene's brigade as it harassed Steele's retreating column, and saw some fighting.[3][7] However, the battery was not engaged at theBattle of Jenkins' Ferry on the 30th. During June 1864, the battery operated againstUnion Navy vessels serving on theMississippi River and inflicted damage on several gunboats and transports.[3] On June 6, the battery was present at theBattle of Ditch Bayou, where it guardedLake Village, Arkansas.[8]
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The battery accompanied Major GeneralSterling Price during hisraid into Missouri in late 1864. During the campaign, the battery only had three cannons,[b] and was commanded byLieutenant Thomas J. Williams. On September 27, at theBattle of Pilot Knob, Harris's Battery fired the opening shots of the fight, but was quickly silenced by Unioncounter-battery fire.[3] The battery then participated in small fights atUnion, Missouri on October 1, and atCalifornia, Missouri on October 9.[10] On October 15, during theBattle of Glasgow, the battery participated in shelling the Union garrison.[11] On October 21, the battery helped repulse a Union attack at theBattle of Little Blue River, and it also saw action at theBattle of the Big Blue River on October 23.[12] On October 25, at theBattle of Mine Creek, Harris's Battery was positioned near the center of the Confederate line.[13] A Unioncavalry charge hit the Confederate line near where Harris's Battery was positioned,[14] and the battery was left isolated.[9] Two of the battery's cannons were captured as a result;[15] although two were dragged some distance.[9][15] However, even those two cannons were later captured.[16] The battery suffered 35 casualties at Mine Creek.[12]
After the end of Price's Raid, the battery was transferred toGrand Ecore, Louisiana, where it was used to operate heavy artillery guarding theRed River. On November 19, the battery was officially designated the 4th Missouri Field Battery by Smith, although the moniker of Harris's Battery was still used to refer to the unit. On May 26, 1865, the battery surrendered; the men of the battery wereparoled. When the paroles were issued, there were found to be 136 men in the battery. Historian James McGhee has speculated that many of the men were recruited during Price's Raid.[12]