The 10th Ohio Battery

(Click the pic)

(M1841 6 Pound Cannon)

On April 20th,1862 Charles Milton Adams transferred to the 10th Ohio Battery with 19 other members of the 13th Ohio. He served with them until January 16th,1863 when he received a disability discharge.

Here is a brief history:

The 10th Ohio Light Volunteer Battery was organized in Xenia, Ohio by Captain H. Berlace White on January 9th 1862. The battery was formed to help in the defense and preservation of the Union. The 10th Ohio was moved to Camp Dennison in Cincinnati, Ohio where it was mustered into service on March 3rd 1862. The unit was originally only to serve a three year term, and was rapidly armed and equipped with what the state had to offer at the time. The State of Ohio equipped the Battery with six M1841 6 pound cannons, of which, four were smooth-bore and two were rifled using the "James system". These weapons were an attempt by the Federals to convert existing smoothbores to rifled guns. These were originally bronze-tubed Model 1841 6-pounders, bored out and lined with rifled iron or brass sleeves in the James pattern. These would throw a shell farther and with more accuracy, but the liners quickly wore down, reducing the effectiveness of the rifling. Most of these were retired from service fairly early in the War.

(James System, Click the Pic)

The Battery moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and on the 4th of April, 1862 moved up the Tennessee River toward Pittsburg Landing. They arrived there on April 9th and were attached to The Army of the Tennessee, General Grant commanding, Right Wing, Sixth Division, under Brigadier General Thomas J. McKean, Third Brigade commanded by Col. M. M. Croocker, Artillery under Captain A. Hickenlooper.

General Orders No. 50
HDQRS. Army of the Tennessee
Pittsburg, Tenn., May 1 1862

In compliance with Special Field Orders, No. 35, from general headquarters, the undersigned takes command of the Army of the Tennessee, including the reserve, under Maj. Gen. J. A. McClernand.
All reports of the right wing and the reserve will be consolidated at the headquarters of each respectively, and forwarded to these headquarters. All orders heretofore in force will continue so until otherwise directed.

U. S. Grant
Major-General.

The 10th Ohio received 20 plus men from the 13th Ohio Battery at this station. The officers of the 13th Ohio had been discharged because, in attempting to obey orders, they had lost their guns. The men were distributed between several Ohio Batteries, and were brave and faithful soldiers. Unfortunately the Battery arrived too late to take part in the battle of Shiloh fought there on April 6 and April 7, 1862.

The 10th Ohio moved on Corinth, Mississippi on April 29th and 30th with the rest of the army, but was held in reserve during the siege. The Battery remained in Corinth on guard and garrison duty from June 25th until September 15th 1862.

The Battery was assigned to the Artillery, sixth Division, District of Corinth, Mississippi, Until November 1862.

The Battery then moved to Iuka, Mississippi. While in Iuka they received orders to forage from the surrounding country.

Source