Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/178

170 was known throughout the Confederate army as a fighting organization. It was common knowledge that Grimes' battery never shirked a duty or shrunk from obeying an order because the execution thereof was attended with danger, for the courage of its officers and men was proverbial bordering even upon rashness, and on numerous occasions the battery received the commendation of General Anderson, to whose division it was attached.

The battery served in the following engagements of the Civil War: "Hoffiers Creek, April 23, 1862; Pasquotank River, May 2, 1862; Seven Days' Fight, June 26, 1862; Malvern Hill, July I, 1862; Warrenton Springs, August 26, 1862; Second Manassas, August 30, 1862; Crampton Gap, September 14, 1862; Sharpsburg, September 17, I&62. In this last battle Captain Grimes was killed, and after this, horses becoming scarce, Grimes' battery was merged into Huger's and Moorman's batteries, but as far as possible kept up a separate organization known as Grimes' battery.

Thus it will be seen that this organization, besides being a present credit to the city, has been, indeed, a maker of history.

Battery "C," First battalion field artillery, Virginia Volunteers, has in the last five years made rapid strides to make itself an organization worthy of its predecessors. Three years ago it had only a few men who could be depended upon and very few uniforms, with four obsolete muzzle-loading three-inch rifles. At present its equipment is second to none in the United States army or the National Guard. It has upon its rolls eighty-two officers and men who are ready for duty at all times. In these three years it has, through persistent efforts, built up an organization fully uniformed, with equipment and uniforms for 133 men. It has gotten the city to build a gun-room in the rear of the Park View engine-house, in which it has stored the most modern type of three-inch field battery, which cost the government $100,000. This battery consists of four three-inch breech-loading field pieces, eight caissons, one battery wagon and one store wagon, with the personal equipment and harness for 108 horses, and 133 men, and is a sight well worth the time to any person