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St. Mary's Cannoneers 1st Battery/1st Louisiana Field Battery Captain. Florian O. Cornay (Killed April 26,1864) Captain Minos T. Gordy This battery was mustered into Confederate service at Franklin, Louisiana, on October 7, 1861. The battery remained at Camp Hunter near Franklin until early 1862, when it moved to Fort Jackson below New Orleans. During the defense of Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, the men performed able service as heavy artillerists. They were the only unit at Fort Jackson that did not mutiny on the night of April 27, 1862, and the officers and enlisted men became prisoners of war when the forts surrendered. After receiving their exchange, the men gathered at Camp Hunter once again to be reoutfitted as a field battery. One two gun section commanded by Lt. Minos Gordy, fought in the battle at Fort Bisland, April 12-13 1863. Enemy fire disabled one gun, and the men had to abandon it. The other two sections fought at the battle of Irish Bend, April 13, 1863, the remaining gun from Lt. Gordy arrived to fight in this battle. In this battle the unit lost its unit flag; the 13th Connecticut Infantry captured it. (The battle map of 'Irish Bend' in Richard Irwin 'History of the 19th Army Corp, show that all six guns were there this is not true, there were only five guns at this time.) On June 3, the battery engaged the enemy gunboat 'Estrella' on the Atchafalaya River and drove it back. The next day, with another battery, Cornay's men engaged three union gunboats near the same site. Heavy fire from the gunboats forced the batteries to withdraw . From July 1863 to March 1864, the battery joined in the various marches of General Alfred Mouton's Louisiana brigade in south Louisiana, but rarely engaged the enemy. The battery fired on federal vessels on the Mississippi River from positions along the levee below Donaldsonville, July 7-10, 1863. From November 18-21, at least one gun participated in operations against Federal vessels at Hog Point, near Red River Landing. On December 8, 1863, one section of the battery fired on the Federal transport 'Von Phul', causing some damage to the vessel, and exchanged shots with the gunboat 'Neosho'. At the battle of Mansfield, April 8, 1864, the battery was only lightly engaged in support of the Confederate attack. The battery performed gallant service on April 26 and 27 against three union gunboats and two transports on the Red River near the mouth of the Cane River. The heavy, accurate fire of the guns crippled one gunboat and disabled a transport, resulting in its capture. On May 18, 1864, In a skirmish at Mansura, the battery was the last artillery unit to withdraw from the field, and it covered the army's retreat. The men participated in the Battle of Yellow Bayou, May 18. Following the Red River Campaign of 1864, the battle saw no more fighting. The men accompanied General Camille J. Poliganc's division on its march through north Louisiana into Southern Arkansas in late 1864. In November, orders officially designated the unit as the First Louisiana Field Battery. Transferred about that time to General John H. Forney's division, the battery was later stationed near Tyler, Texas. At the surrender of the Trans-Mississippi Department in May 1865, the battery still occupied its camp near Tyler and had four guns. During the course of the war, approximately 161 men served with the battery. APRIL 18-MAY 1, 1862. --Bombardment and capture of Forts Jackson and Saint Phillip, and occupation of New Orleans, La., by the Union forces. No. 4. -Report of Brig. Gen. Johnson K. Duncan, C. S. Army, of the bombardment and surrender of Forts Jackson and Saint Philip. Regret to state that it did not produce the desired effect. Everything remained quiet, however, until midnight, when the garrison of Fort Jackson revolted in mass; seized upon the guard and posterns; reversed the field pieces commanding the gates, and commenced to spike the guns, while many of the men were leaving the fort in the mean time under arms. All this occurred as suddenly as it was unexpected. The men were mostly drawn up under arms and positively refused to fight any longer, besides endeavoring by force to bring over the Saint Mary's Cannoneers and such other few men as remained true to their cause and country. APRIL 18-MAY 1, 1862. --Bombardment and capture of Forts Jackson and Saint Phillip, and occupation of New Orleans, La., by the Union forces. No. 5. -Report of Lieut. Col. Edward Higgins, C. S. Army, of the bombardment and capture of Forts Jackson and Saint Philip. The Saint Mary's Cannoneers, Capt. F. O. Cornay, have my warmest gratitude and admiration for their whole conduct, both in face of the enemy and in the severe and arduous fatigue duties, which they discharged always and at all times, day and night, with alacrity and energy. They are an honor to the country, and well may their friends and relatives be proud of them. APRIL 18-MAY 1, 1862. --Bombardment and capture of Forts Jackson and Saint Phillip, and occupation of New Orleans, La., by the Union forces. No. 8. -Proceedings of the Court of Inquiry upon the fall of New Orleans. This mutinous spirit pervaded the entire garrison at Fort Jackson, except the Cornay's battery had been posted at the junction of Cane and Red Rivers to intercept the boats on their way down. At about 6 p.m. the leading gunboat and one transport came down. Our fire speedily silenced and crippled the gunboat, and a shot striking the boiler of the transport exploded it. Under cover of the steam the gunboat drifted out of fire. The loss of life on the transport was fearful. Over 100 bodies were brought on shore and about 80 others will die from the effects of the scalding steam. The transport was crowded with the crew of the large ironclad, removed before she was blown up at Montgomery. We saved some valuable stores from the transport, and I ordered her sunk in the channel to prevent the escape of the two gunboats and transport still above. We had but 2 casualties in this affair, 1 wounded and the gallant Captain Cornay killed. APRIL 9-MAY 14, 1863. -Operations in West Louisiana. No. 24. --Report of Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover, U.S. Army, commanding Fourth Division, of operations March 26-April 20. In this advance were captured two caissons and one limber, the flag of the Saint Mary's Cannoneers, a large quantity of smallarms, some ammunition for field-pieces, and about 120 prisoners. The caissons, limber, and flag were captured by the Thirteenth Connecticut Volunteers. APRIL 9-MAY 14, 1863. -Operations in West Louisiana. No. 36. --Report of Col. Henry W. Mirge [?], Thirteenth Connecticut Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of engagement at Irish Bend. driving him back in the utmost confusion, captured two caissons, one limber, a quantity of small-arms, the flag of the Saint Mary's Cannoneers,

Source: Richard Buie

Louisiana 1st Field Light Artillery (Confederate)

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