Ole Miss
Major
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Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. QM Stones River / Franklin 2022
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
- Location
- North Mississippi
While researching for a thread about Capt. William H. Ketchum's, Alabama Battery I ran across mention of Captain Walter Crain. Below is the excerpt from the Official Report of Colonel Preston Pond
Report of Col. Preston Pond, Sixteenth Louisiana Infantry,
Commanding Third Brigade.
Hdqrs. Third Brig., First Div., Army of the Miss.,
-------,-------, 1862.*
P. S.—I would call attention to the case of that gallant officer and soldier Capt. Walter Crain whose battery has been taken from him. I saw him fighting gallantly in the ranks with his rifle, and in the engagement of Monday he received a severe wound. If gallantry would entitle an officer to his command none deserve it more than Captain Crain.
I found myself wondering who was Captain Crain and what happened to his battery? So I began my research.
Capt. Walter O. Crain, of Memphis TN, formed his battery on July 18, 1861 which was armed with 3 guns as the 12th Company of Artillery Corps. His unit was moved to Fort Henry on the Tennessee River first but relocated across the river to Fort Heiman in January of 1862. The Fort was soon untenable due to flooding and the guns not being of sufficient size to impede Union vessels from steaming upriver on the Tennessee. Crain's battery was forced to retreat without their cannons and was soon disbanded. Not heard from till Colonel Pond's Official Report of his brigade's action at Shiloh were he cited Captain for valor.
The records show that he resigned April 12, 1862; was commissioned as lieutenant in the Confederate States Navy, May 5, 1863; as captain June 2, 1864. Prior to his service as captain of the battery, he had been a private, and then a 2nd lieutenant in Company D", 1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion.
His records in Fold 3 deal with requisitions for Artillery supplies and needs but little about him. In fact I have not found any further information about this young man. Any one have additional information about this young man?
Regards
David
(Page 519) https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730160;view=1up;seq=418
Report of Col. Preston Pond, Sixteenth Louisiana Infantry,
Commanding Third Brigade.
Hdqrs. Third Brig., First Div., Army of the Miss.,
-------,-------, 1862.*
P. S.—I would call attention to the case of that gallant officer and soldier Capt. Walter Crain whose battery has been taken from him. I saw him fighting gallantly in the ranks with his rifle, and in the engagement of Monday he received a severe wound. If gallantry would entitle an officer to his command none deserve it more than Captain Crain.
I found myself wondering who was Captain Crain and what happened to his battery? So I began my research.
Capt. Walter O. Crain, of Memphis TN, formed his battery on July 18, 1861 which was armed with 3 guns as the 12th Company of Artillery Corps. His unit was moved to Fort Henry on the Tennessee River first but relocated across the river to Fort Heiman in January of 1862. The Fort was soon untenable due to flooding and the guns not being of sufficient size to impede Union vessels from steaming upriver on the Tennessee. Crain's battery was forced to retreat without their cannons and was soon disbanded. Not heard from till Colonel Pond's Official Report of his brigade's action at Shiloh were he cited Captain for valor.
The records show that he resigned April 12, 1862; was commissioned as lieutenant in the Confederate States Navy, May 5, 1863; as captain June 2, 1864. Prior to his service as captain of the battery, he had been a private, and then a 2nd lieutenant in Company D", 1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion.
His records in Fold 3 deal with requisitions for Artillery supplies and needs but little about him. In fact I have not found any further information about this young man. Any one have additional information about this young man?
Regards
David
(Page 519) https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730160;view=1up;seq=418
Bringing the