Wish I could be of more help. Phillip's was certainly at Nashville, in Cobb's Battalion with the 5th Co. of the Washington Artillery and Ferguson's SC Artillery (Beauregard, commanding the battalion). They were on Rains Hill on the 15th, repelling the attack of USCT on the Confederate right flank. Only Phillip's (Mebane's) company retained any guns in Cobb's battalion after the rout at Nashville, so it is feasible that they fired while crossing the Duck and Tennessee Rivers. You are of course familiar with the OR account of Cheatham's Division (v. 45, Part 1, p. 732). Here is what Captain Rene Beauregard wrote about the retreat from Nashville, presumably traveling with Phillip's company in their battalion: "Our discouraging retreat was now begun, and similarly to the opening of the campaign the cold, wet and cloudy nights of its phase added their gloom to the heaviness of our hearts. Frequently, the Enemy’s cavalry would dash in among our disorganized rear guards and either capture or destroy the most of them. Resistance was apparently deemed futile by most of the troops which followed along in a mob-like confusion; thus, Pulaski was reached. Around this place we encamped one night after crossing dejectedly its swollen stream, in the muddy banks of which all vehicles would sink to the hubs. Pulaski however, was to prove our first port of refuge, for the intense cold of the following day having frozen hard the miry roads of our travel, the Army resumed its march in better spirits, and finally reached the Tennessee River as the weather had again begun to be wet and cloudy." (postwar letter from Beauregard to Lt. Chalaron of the 5th Co., Washington Artillery). Cobb's Battalion crossed the Tennessee on Christmas, according to Beauregard; Cheatham's account said they crossed on the 26th.
To which companies did the two artillerymen witnesses belong? I'd like to know their association with Ferguson's Artillery Co.
Chris