With the Pointe Coupee Battery at Nashville

Scrambling back to the Pointe Coupee Battery’s position after spying the advancing Federals closing in on them, Rene A. de Russy recalled the thrilling final moments before the battery was overrun on December 16, 1864, during the Battle of Nashville.

“The battery suffered severely, men and horses going down in the turmoil, a caisson being blown to atoms and Edgar Gueson being cut in by a shell. Still, the battery held fast, even when the men to the left had broken and when the Union men came around the hill on the flank. Gun after gun was served until human endurance could go no further. Then with a parting shot into the very faces of Thomas’s men, Corporal Joseph H. Vienne and his fellows started back under orders from Captain Alcide Bouanchaud. Corporal Vautier trained his gun upon Vienne’s captured piece but without avail and the order came to withdraw, several of the pieces first being spiked. The members of the battery then made for the Granny White Pike, leaving over 20 dead and wounded within less than 100 yards of their guns. From that time on, the retreat partook the nature of a route and “suave qui pent” was the watchword.”

          De Russy’s account of the second day of the Battle of Nashville first saw publication in the May 20, 1907, edition of the New Orleans Times-Democrat. The battery was part of Myrick’s Artillery Battalion which was attached to General William Loring’s division of General A.P. Stewart’s Corps.

The spoils of war: the four 12-pdr Napoleons of the Pointe Coupee Battery are somewhere amidst this field of captured cannons and caissons gathered at General George H. Thomas's headquarters in Nashville in the days after the battle. 

          At the opening of the second day’s hostilities on December 16, 1864, the new line of the Confederates was located some distance to the left of the Granny White Pike near the base of a high hill with a running range of rock fence making a breastworks about four feet in height and a range of trees skirting near the pike. The Pointe Coupee Battery was the last battery near the base of the hill.

          The Federal troops were extremely active and at times precipitated an onslaught which required a check from the battery, driving the Union forces to shelter. Shortly before noon the rattle of musketry and the roar of half a hundred pieces of artillery gave notice that the Confederates on the right were engaged in a terrible battle and great was the suspense in the battery while awaiting news as to whether the tide of battle was running for or against the army. Could the old Army of Tennessee, with its thinned line, hold its own and gain further renown? This was the question that each man asked the other and the tension told on the nerves of many.

          For three or four hours the battle raged and then came detachments of cavalry riding by, bringing the news that the day had been won for the Confederates and that Lee’s Corps had driven Thomas back in disorder and defeat. Thus encouraged, the Pointe Coupee Battery braced itself with the rest of the wing for the general attack contemplated on the front by the Union troops and awaited the onslaught of the seried thousands.

          In close marching columns the Federals came forward, first opening on the Confederate skirmish lines and works with half a dozen batteries. On they came at the double quick for the Confederate breastworks as the left wing of the Army of Tennessee braced to receive them. Out burst the blaze of the Confederate guns and the Federals paused in their progress and for a moment sought shelter, finding this cover behind a range of hills which ran parallel with the Confederate lines.

          Our battery was prominent in the repulse and performed its full share of the deeds of glory in the brief interchange while General [William] Loring, but a short space distant, cheered and waved his hat in encouragement. Noting that the Union forces had made an oblique move in their charge, the battery at once grasped the opportunity presented and sent in heavy charges of grape with such telling effect that the right of the brigade was thrown into disorder and broke for cover with greatly thinned ranks.

A proud Confederate artilleryman wearing a secession cockade. 

          Foiled in his first attempt, Thomas paused and pondered, appreciating that direct attack was futile, and a retrograde movement took place with his forces. Taking advantage of the lull, I climbed a hill with some comrades intending to get a bird’s eye view of the situation but was somewhat discouraged by the advent of a reckless shell which dropped carelessly in my vicinity and dug a large hole in the hilltop. Before we could turn and flee, however, a second shell followed and decapitated a young Confederate, and warned the survivors that their range had been found by the enemy.

          Notwithstanding the shock of this occurrence, I with a friend from the battery threw ourselves on the ground and squirmed to the edge of the hill where a view of over a mile stretched before us. Here we could see the moves and counter-moves of Thomas’s forces and the addition of two batteries to the artillery gave us the realization that a desperate encounter was coming. Hardly had we rejoined our battery when General Hood rode up to General Loring and said, “General, if we can hold our line for half an hour or better, the victory will be ours.” His face was aglow with the beam of hope and his eyes flashed with the fire of conflict; General Hood presented an inspiring sight to his soldiers and the Pointe Coupee Battery cheered him to the echo.

          Then came the attack as Thomas’s army moved onward. But, stubborn as was the onslaught, equally determined was the defense and for hours the battle raged with blood flowing like water. The battery suffered severely, men and horses going down in the turmoil, a caisson being blown to atoms and Edgar Gueson being cut in by a shell. Still, the battery held fast, even when the men to the left had broken and when the Union men came around the hill on the flank. Gun after gun was served until human endurance could go no further.

Then with a parting shot into the very faces of Thomas’s men, Corporal Joseph H. Vienne and his fellows started back under orders from Captain Alcide Bouanchaud. Corporal Vautier trained his gun upon Vienne’s captured piece but without avail and the order came to withdraw, several of the pieces first being spiked. The members of the battery then made for the Granny White Pike, leaving over 20 dead and wounded within less than 100 yards of their guns. From that time on, the retreat partook the nature of a route and “suave qui pent” was the watchword. That the defeat was a more bitter disappointment to General Hood than the retreat at Moscow was to Bonaparte was the feeling which prevailed throughout the army. But the Pointe Coupee had fought the good fight and had been faithful unto death. 

To read more about the Battle of Nashville, please check out these posts: 

The "Glory" Business: The 7th Minnesota at Nashville

William Keesy and the Battle of Nashville




Source:

“Record of the Pointe Coupee Battery in the Fierce Battle of Nashville,” Rene Amedee de Russy, New Orleans Time-Democrat (Louisiana), May 20, 1907, pg. 5

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