Dunham's Artillery is Forced to Withdraw

Dunham's Artillery is Forced to Withdraw. . , A Bad Start , The campaign against General Nathan Bedford Forrest began badly for the 7th Wisconsin Light Artillery. General Jeremiah Sullivan ordered the battery to Jackson, but directed them to leave extra ammunition and horses, caissons, and camp equipage behind. When they reached the city, the six-gun battery was divided. Three guns went with Colonel Cyrus Dunham's brigade and three with Colonel John W. Fuller's brigade. Before the battery left Jackson, they learned that the Confederates had captured everything abandoned earlier. They were beginning the campaign short of the things they needed most, ammunition and horses., One Gun Disabled , Early in the battle, Dunham pushed a few companies of infantry and the artillery northwest to meet Forrest at Hicks field. The 7th Wisconsin fared badly in the initial engagement. Confederate Lieutenant Nat Baxter later recalled "dismounting one of the Federal guns." Soon afterward, Dunham's line retreated and reformed on the Lexington-Huntingdon road. The 7th Wisconsin's remaining guns continued to fire on the Confederates from the new position., Their Ammunition Exhausted , With one gun out of action, Dunham shifted his line north and faced Forrest's troops on what is now Wildersville Road. Unknown to Dunham, the 7th Wisconsin Light Artillery had only twenty rounds of ammunition left. Forrest again unleashed his artillery and the Confederate guns cut the Federals to pieces., "Our horses one by one, dropped. Sergeant Alford Walwork fell dead at his post, after having been wounded. Louis Kohnkie was knocked off his horse with a shot through the shoulder," recalled surgeon H.L. Halstead. Before it was over, he added eight more names to the list of killed and wounded. Their ammunition gone, the battered 7th Wisconsin pulled their guns from the field., (captions) , Lieut. Arthur Wheelock, U.S. Wheelock commanded the 7th Wisconsin Light Artillery, also known as the Badger State Flying Artillery. The inexperienced battery suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Parkers Crossroads. , Union artillery going into action, 1890.