Crispin Dickenson to C. S. Stringfellow, May 19, 1864

MaJor: I have the honor to report that on the day previous to the battle of Cloyd’s farm, Bryan’s (Virginia) battery of light artillery was placed in position on the left, supported by the Thirtysixth Regiment Virginia Infantry.

On the day of the battle (May 9) the long-range guns opened upon the enemy’s lines as soon as they were observed on the side of the mountain, and shelled them slowly until the enemy attempted to plant his artillery on a projecting ridge in our front, when the entire battery opened upon the artillery and entirely prevented it from getting into position until the latter part of the engagement.

About the time the battle commenced with the infantry on the right one piece (6-pounder gun) was sent to the extreme right and was employed in shelling the enemy’s infantry. After the fire of musketry had continued for some time on the right, the infantry support of the battery moved to the right, and one piece (12-pounder howitzer) was sent with them, and in coming into action its limber pole was accidentally broken and was replaced by that of the caisson, and afterward, when the battery retired, the caisson was abandoned for want of a limber and pole.

Sometime after the engagement became general on the right, the pera succeeded in getting his artillery in position, and the battery was then engaged by the batteries of the enemy for a few minutes ; but shortly after the enemy’s artillery was planted, a heavy column of infantry emerged from the timber and came into open view in front of our left, and the battery turned its fire upon this column with great effect. By this time the infantry on the right was retiring hurriedly from the field, and the battery moved to the right, and some pieces fired upon the enemy, while the rest retired from action. The whole battery then moved in the direction of Dublin Depot.

td this engagement Bryan’s battery lost 1 private killed, 1 mortally wounded (since died), and 1 severely phockal by the concussion of a shell.

The battery was then ordered to New River bridge, whither it proceeded with as little delay as possible by way of the macadamized road and English’s Bridge, and took position on the north side of the river, on the left of Stamps’ and Douthat’s batteries. The position occupied was on the crest of a hill on the prolongation of the railroad bridge.

About 9 a. m. a few Federals were observed on a hill on the opposite side of the river and were shelled and soon disappeared. However, the enemy soon succeeded in planting a piece of artillery which opened upon us. The reply of all the guns immediately silenced the enemy; but he then placed all his guns in position on two hills on the opposite side of the river, and a heavy cannonade ensued, which lasted about two hours, when some of our guns ran out of ammunition, and the enemy’s infantry were reported crossing the river below us. All the guns were then taken from the field in safety.

The loss of Bryan’s battery in this engagement was 2 privates killed and 3 wounded; 3 horses killed and 3 wounded.

Capt. T. A. Bryan, who was commanding all the artillery engaged, had a horse killed under him, and was disabled by the fall.

1 2 tfull ‘ &e., I am, major, respectfully G. A. FOWLKES,

Lieutenant, Commanding Bryan’s Battery. Major STRINGFELLOW, ah.

Report of Capt. Crispin Dickenson, Ringgold (Virginia) Battery, of engagement at Cloyd’s Mountain, and skirmish at New River Bridge.

CAMP OF RINGGOLD BATTERY, Gast Mill, near Salem, Va., May 20, 1864.

Masor: In obedience to orders from the colonel commanding, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my battery in the action of the 9th instant at Cloyd’s farm, five miles north of Dublin Depot, and its subsequent operations :

The first section, composed of two 12-pounder Napoleon guns—the first in charge of Lieut. William P. Robinson, the second in charge of Lieut. A. B. White—was placed in,position on the right of the road leading from Dublin to Pearisburg, and near it, and 1,200 or 1,500 yards from the foot of Cloyd’s Mountain, commanding said road for that distance. The second section, composed of one 3-inch rifled gun (iron) and one 12-pounder Napoleon, was put in position as follows: The rifled gun on a line with the two former, and immediately between the guns of the second section of igs Bryan’s. battery, and to the left of the above-named road. The fourth gun was put in position on the extreme right of our line of artillery, and between 300 and 400 yards to its front, and on a line with our infantry. This gun, from its peculiar location, was necessarily exposed to both the infantry and artillery fire of the enemy from the commencement of the fight, and had no way of retiring except by a small road running through the woods for 300 yards parallel to our line of infantry, and not more than forty yards from it at any point. The rifled gun was under my own supervision, and the fourth, or 12pounder Napoleon, in charge of Lieut. A. W. Hoge, my company numbering about 130 men present for duty. Twenty-nine muskets were placed in the hands of a like number of men, in charge of Lieut. William H. Lipscomb, who took position on a line with the fourth gun and to its left.

The artillery fire commenced about 9 a. m., none of my guns pareS in the fire except those of the second section, which only fired an occasional shot, their position being in plain view of the enemy as they advanced down the mountain.

About 10 o’clock our infantry on the right became engaged, and in fifteen or twenty minutes commenced giving way, when one gun of the first section was ordered to the right for their relief. Lieut. William P. Robinson was in charge of the gun, and moved as rapidly as possible, and took position in an open field, about seventyfive yards in rear of our line of infantry, and fired as rapidly as possible seven spherical case-shot into the ranks of the enemy, who were advancing through the woods. The gun then ceased firing for a short interval, for fear of killing our own men (who were still retiring), until all had passed the gun, when a charge of canister was thrown into the enemy’s line, doing considerable execution. The gun was then limbered up, and moved off the field slowly, one of the wheel-horse’s legs being broken.

The second gun, in charge of Lieut. A. B. White, commenced firing about the time Lieutenant Robinson moved his piece to the right at a column of the enemy advancing on our left. For twenty or thirty minutes the fire was kept up with great rapidity, doing good work. The ammunition of the limber being exhausted, the limber of the caisson was ordered to take the place of the limber of the gun, and the latter to take its place, by Lieut. A. B. White. The caisson limber not being forthcoming, in a few moments Lieutenant White went in-person to see after it, and found two of the drivers (J. J. Young and William E. Barksdale) refusing to drive their horses up to the gun. About this time the Forty-fifth Regiment, who had rallied in front of this gun, gave way, and left it too much exposed to attempt its removal. Accordingly, the gun was abandoned, the cannoneers bringing off all the equipments.

The third gun, in my own charge, was fired rapidly for the last thirty or forty minutes of the fight at both the enemy’s infantry and artillery on our left, doing some execution, their ranks being broken at almost every fire, and I believe that one of the enemy’s teams was disabled by a shell from this gun. This was the last gun to leave the field, and when limbered up the enemy were not more than seventy-five yards from the gun, and no infantry support. The fourth gun was no doubt handled with great deliberation, and inflicted a heavy blow upon the enemy, they being within 300 yards of the gun in an open field. Our line of infantry giving way upon our right .left this gun flanked by the enemy, and no way to withdraw except by the road described heretofore ; consequently it was abandoned, the men escaping the best way they could.

The loss in this action was Lieut. A. W. Hoge, Privates M. J. Hoge and Samuel H. Jones missing; Privates C. A. Dalton and Fred. C. Davis wounded badly and 2 others struck by fragments of shell. The loss in horses was 5 killed at the third gun, 1 badly wounded at the first gun, and 16 horses killed and captured at the fourth gun. Two 12-pounder Napoleon guns and 2 caissons and 10 sets of artillery harness left upon the field. All the men acted with a great deal of coolness, except the two before mentioned, the latter of whom redeemed himself on the 10th instant at New River bridge, when he acted with a great deal of bravery in driving his horses through a shower of shell. On the 10th instant my two guns occupied the center of our line of artillery. The firing commenced about 9 a. m., and was kept up until about 12 m., doing but little damage I fear to the enemy, the position being a bad one on our side. Thecasualties inmy battery in this action were 2 men slightly wounded by fragments of shell. My guns, with one of Captain Bryan’s, were the last to leave the field in this action.

Hoping that my battery may soon be replenished with guns, and that I may have a better opportunity of using them with effect against our enemies, ‘

I have the honor to be, very truly, your obedient servant,