Pinney's Wisconsin Battery

Pinney's Wisconsin Battery. Perryville . The Battle For Kentucky. , On October 10, 1861, the 5th Wisconsin Light Artillery was organized at Camp Utley, Racine, Wisconsin, under Captain Oscar Pinney. At the Battle of Perryville, the battery was attached to Union General Robert Mitchell's division, under Colonel Michael Gooding's brigade. Gooding's brigade comprised of the 59th, 74th, 75th Illinois, and 22nd Indiana Infantry and Pinney's battery. Pinney's battery was comprised of two 12 pound howitzers, two 12 pound mountain howitzers, and two 10 pound Parrot rifles., Pinney's battery was located three hundred yards away from the Russell House. Confederate shells began to land all around the men of the 5th Wisconsin. The battery had to change their position twice. The Rebel infantry tried to take the 5th Wisconsin battery, but the firepower of the 5th Wisconsin held them off. Colonel Gooding wrote that the 30th Brigade fought for two hours and twenty minutes against Confederate General Sterling Wood's entire division. The battle grew fiercer and fiercer. Hand to hand combat broke out. The sun began to set. The 59th Illinois was outflanked and retreated, soon followed by the 22nd Indiana, and finally the 75th Illinois left the field., The battery had no infantry support, but by 8 pm, darkness ended the battle and the 5th Wisconsin managed to escape capture. During the battle, William Sparks of the 5th Wisconsin was wounded and Private John Smith was killed., "The Rebel Infantry made a charge upon us but were driven back everytime with terrific loss. Our guns were double shot with canister and they fell before it as grass beneath a scythe.", (Caption):, 12 Pound Mountain Howitzers (Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)