Say What Saturday: Death on the Way!

Ole Miss

Major
Forum Host
Silver Patron
Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. QM Stones River / Franklin 2022
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Location
North Mississippi
1613180131391.png

Captain Andrew Hickenlooper, 5th Independent Battery, Ohio Light Artillery at Shiloh


Here is the real world of battle with the sights and sounds of death being delivered via of bronze tubes!
Regards
David

Captain Andrew Hickenlooper, 5th Ohio Light Artillery described the action in the Hornet’s Nest: “Quickly came the orders sharp and clear: ‘Shrapnel,’ ‘Two seconds,’ ‘One second,’ ‘canister.’ Then, as the enemy made preparations for their final dash, ‘double canister’ was delivered with such rapidity that the separate discharges blended into one continuous roar. Then the supporting infantry, rising from their recumbent position, sent forth a sheet of flame and leaden hail that elicited curses, shrieks, groans and shouts, all blended into an appalling cry. . . . Again and again, through long and trying hours, this dance of death went on, at frequent intervals, from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, thus gradually sapping the energies of these heroic men, who had borne the heat and burden of the fateful day with a courage unparalleled in the annals of the Civil War.”
(Andrew Hickenlooper, “The Battle of Shiloh,” Sketches of War History, vol. V, Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing Co., 1903, 420).
Shiloh Staff Ride
https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/educational-services/staff-rides/StaffRideHB_Shiloh.pdf

Page 105
 
Captain Hickenlooper and his men were sorley pressed on Sunday. the 6th of April by General Albert Sidney Johnston's men. First located at the Southern end of the battlefield, the 5th Ohio was steadly forced back about a mile and half over to the middle of the Sunken Road which became the "Hornet's Nest" of legend and lore and there remained till after 5 pm when the Union center collapsed and Prentiss and his men surrendered. The 5th Ohio retreated to just North of Mulberry Field and was not engaged on Monday.

Hickenlooper's battery was formed in August of 1861, it was filled to a maximum of 170 men, who were forwarded to St. Louis as fast as enlisted. It was actively engaged through the entire first day of the battle of Shiloh and lost in this, its first battle, 1 man killed and 20 wounded, 2 pieces, 4 caissons, 65 horses, and all camp and garrison equipage.

The battery was armed with:
Two 6-pounder smoothbore field guns
Four 6-pounder James rifles
Regards
David
 
This view is looking East along the "Hornet's Nest" positon held by the 5th Ohio Battery at their unusal monument. The cannon in the background is a 12 pounder Bronze Howitzer Ames Model 1841.
Regards
David
1613183329963.png


This view is looking toward the West. This monument unfortunately has been vandalized with the barrel broken off. This location is off the main road and is vulnerable to criminals.


1613184861667.png
 
“Quickly came the orders sharp and clear: ‘Shrapnel,’ ‘Two seconds,’ ‘One second,’ ‘canister.’
With those fuse setting they went off almost right out of the tube.
 
This view is looking North and one can see the missing cannon that thugs broke off in their mindless actions!
The cannon on the right side is a 12 pounder Bronze Howitzer Ames Model 1841 and on the left side 3.8” James Rifle, Bronze Type I. At the time of the battle the battery had three operating guns left as two were captured and one disabled. They had started the battle with two 6-pounder smoothbore field guns and four 6-pounder James rifles.
Regards
David

1613187087853.png


This a close up of where the missing cannon once laid.
1613187408649.png
 
With those fuse setting they went off almost right out of the tube.
Not exactly right out of the tube. I’m not sure about a 6-pounder or James, but a 12-pounder shell whose fuze was cut for ½ second of burning-time would explode at “about” 170 yards (510 feet) from cannon’s muzzle. A 12-pounder shell travelled 340 yards in 1 second.

So, there was a bit of distance on shells which were cut a the 1 second or less mark. To get a Bormann-fused shell to explode right out of the barrel, and thus act like a canister round, you could “punch” the fuse dead center.
 
Not exactly right out of the tube. I’m not sure about a 6-pounder or James, but a 12-pounder shell whose fuze was cut for ½ second of burning-time would explode at “about” 170 yards (510 feet) from cannon’s muzzle. A 12-pounder shell travelled 340 yards in 1 second.

So, there was a bit of distance on shells which were cut a the 1 second or less mark. To get a Bormann-fused shell to explode right out of the barrel, and thus act like a canister round, you could “punch” the fuse dead center.
Punch it dead center and the flame goes directly into the powder chamber and boom. You could also fire a "rotten" shot-one that has no fuse at all in the fuse hole which will go off almost at the muzzle. Time for a War Story: We had a bunch of defective time fuses for 155MM rounds (the fuse was designed not to arm itself until the round had made a specific number of revolutions), well this one went off approximately a second after it left the muzzle which while it put it several hundred yards down range, it still came as quite the shock and it certainly didn't help the pine plantation that we were firing over.
 
Last edited:
Andrew Hickenlooper was a brave leader who moved on from Shiloh contributing to his unit, army, state and nation. I believe this memorial to him from his comrades of the Army of the Tennessee honors him far beyond my abilities and I wanted to share with others.
Regards
David

August 10, 1837 – May 12, 1904
"Andrew Hickenlooper was born at Hudson, Ohio, August 10, 1837, being the youngest of a family of six children born to Andrew and Abigail Cox Hickenlooper, who were married at Williamsburg, Pa., April 12. 1821.

From Hudson, Ohio, he removed with his family to Clrcle- ville, and thence to Cincinnati, in 1844, from which time he was a resident of this city until his death, May 12, 1904.

He was educated at St. Xavier and Woodward High School, Cincinnati, and entered upon professional studies as a rodman in the office of the City Civil Engineer in 1853, being thus engaged for two years, and then became junior member of the firm of Gilbert & Hickenlooper, Surveyors and Civil Engineers, until 1861, when he entered the army.

He was married February 13, 1867, to Maria Lloyd Smith, daughter of Adolphus H. and Sarah Bates Smith, of Cincinnati, by whom he had six children, live of whom, and his widow, survive.

He is descended from Andrew Hickenlooper, who emigrated from Holland in 1693. His great-grandfather was a soldier in Captain Davis' Company of York County, Pennsylvania Militia, who served during the Revolutionary War in 1777.

His military and civil history is as follows: August 31, 1861, entered the service as Captain of "Hickenloopers" Cincinnati Battery of Light Artillery, which was recruited and organized under authority of General Fremont, to whom he reported for service in Missouri. The Battery was subsequently mustered into the United States service as the "Fifth Ohio Battery of Light Artillery." On October 11, 1861, he was ordered with Battery to Jefferson City, Mo., and upon arrival was assigned to duty as Chief of Artillery of that Department. Subse quently, March 7, 1862, he was ordered to reassume command of his Battery and with it to report to General Grant on the Tennessee River, and there assigned to Prentiss' Division. He participated with the Battery in the battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7, 1862, occupying the "Hornet's Nest," and there with stood the concentrated fire of thirteen of the enemy's batteries. On April 10, 1862, he was detached and assigned to duty as Chief of Artillery, Sixth Division, Army of the Tennessee, In command of the 1st Minnesota; Battery F, 2d Illinois; 3d Ohio; 5th Ohio; 10th Ohio — a total of 32 guns and 367 men.

He was engaged in the siege of Corinth, April 20 to May 30, 1862; battle of Iuka, September 19, 1862, and the battle of Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862. October 26, 1862, by special order of General Grant, assigned to duty as Chief of Artillery, Right Wing, Army of the Tennessee, and ordered to report to General James B. McPherson, commanding. December, 1862, participated in the Central Mississippi campaign, having Vicksburg for its ultimate objective. January 18, 1863, transferred with the Army to Memphis, Tenn., and there, in the reorganzation into Army Corps, was relieved from duty as Chief of Artillery and assigned to duty as Chief Engineer, Seventeenth Army Corps. From February 20 to April 16, 1863, he was engaged in engineering operations at Lake Providence, La. He participated in the advance on Bruinsburg, April 25, 1863; battle of Port Gibson, May 1; Forty Hills, May 3; Raymond, May 12; Jackson, May 14; Champion Hills, May 16; Big Black River, May 17; assault on Vicksburg, May 19 and 22; and the surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863; in campaign to Monroe, La., August 28 to September 1, 1863; campaign to Canton, Miss., October 12 to 22, 1863, and the campaign to Meridian, Miss., February 1 to 25, 1864. March 26, 1864, he was appointed by the President Judge Advocate of the Army of the Tennessee on staff of Major-General commanding, but immediately there after assigned to duty as Chief of Artillery, Army of the Tennessee. He was engaged in the Atlanta campaign, May to September, 1864, as follows: May 7th to 13th, turning enemy's left via Snake Creek Gap; May 13th to 15th, advance upon and battle of Resaca, Ga.; May 18th, occupation of Kingston, Ga.; May 19th to 25th, movement upon and battle of Dallas; June 5th, advance upon the enemy's position near Kenesaw Moun tain; June 9th to July 2d, series of battles around Kenesaw Mountain; July 5th, battle of Nickajack Creek, Ga.; July 6th to 12th, forcing passage of the Chattahoochee River; July 17th, capture of Decatur, Ga.; July 20th to 21st, expedition to Stone Mountain; July 22d, battle of Atlanta, in which General McPherson was killed; July 28th, battle of Ezra Chapel. On August 4, 1864, he was appointed by the President, Lieutenant- Colonel and Assistant Inspector General, Seventeenth Army Corps, and assigned to duty on the staff of Major-General Frank P. Blair, commanding. November 15 to December 21. 1864, on the "March to the Sea"; January 14, 18C5, battle of Pocataligo; February 3 to 15, 1865, forcing passage of the Salkahatchie River; February 9th, battle of Binnaker's Ridge; February 12th and 13th, advance upon and occupation of Orangeburg, S. C.; February 16th and 17, occupation of Colum bia, S. C.; March 3d, capture of Cheraw, S. C.; March 13th, capture of Fayetteville, S. C., after which he was promoted to Brevet Brigadier-General, and subsequently assigned to com mand of Third Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps. He was engaged in the battle of Bentonville, March 20, 1865; occupation of Goldsboro, March 25th; occupation of Raleigh, N. C., April 14th; at Bennett's House and the sur render of Johnston's Army, April 26, 1865. May 24, 1885, in the Grand Review of Sherman's Army at Washington, after which he was transferred to Louisville, Ky. July 4, 1865, his brigade was selected to receive General Sherman upon the occasion of his final visit and farewell review of the Army of the Tennessee. On August 31, 1865, he was mustered out of the United States service.

General Hickenlooper then began anew professional work as a member of the firm of Phillips & Hickenlooper, Surveyors and Civil Engineers. July 26, 1866, he was appointed United States Marshal of the Southern District of Ohio, in which position he served until January 1, 1871.

On April 1, 1871, he was appointed City Civil Engineer of the City of Cincinnati, and on April 1, 1872, unanimously elected by Council, to the same office.

He was elected Vice-President of the Cincinnati Gas Light and Coke Company May 8, 1872, and on May 8, 1877, elected President of the same company, serving this company most faithfully in thU capacity until April 10, 1903, when failing health compelled him to resign.

He served his State as Lieutenant-Governor, having been elected as such October 14, 1879.

He was elected Corresponding Secretary of this Society In 18G6, and served as such until his death.

General Hickenlooper was a soldier of remarkable ability, and his gallant service is well known to all the soldiers who served in the western armies. His work as a citizen was equally able.

Whatsoever his hand found to do, that did he with all his might.

His loss is regretted by all who knew him.

Source

Report of the Proceedings of the Reunions of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee

Volume 34-35, 1905
Pages 221-223
 
Back
Top