I hereby certify on honor that the Ordnance & Ordnance Stores hereafter
enumerated were lost under the following circumstances On the 25th of Nov 1863
at the battle of Missionary Ridge there were 18 men killed & 58 wounded & 5 missing.
also at Taylor's Ridge 9 wounded & 3 missing. Our troops falling back, their Guns &
Accoutrements were left on the field. & Some Aust Rifles became choked & were thrown
down & Enfield picked up in their place. Also some guns & accoutrements carried to
the field by the wounded men. ________
The following is a list of Ord Stores lost. _______
103 Austrian Rifles Cal. 54
14 Mississippi Rifles Cal. 54
204 Rifle Bayonets
104 Cartridge Boxes
112 Cap Boxes
122 Waist Belts & Plates
153 C B Belts
224 Bayonet Scabbards
31 Knapsacks
144 Haversacks
56 Canteens & Straps
8 Ammunition Boxes
Camp in field near Tunnel Hill
Nov 30th 1863
Jno. R. Kennard
Capt Comdg Regt
[10th Texas Compiled Service Records]
Camp in Field Near Tunnel Hill
Dec 1st 1863
Statement of Ammunition expended in action at Missionary Ridge Nov 25th 1863
& at Taylor's Ridge Nov 27 by the 6th, 10th & 15th Texas Regts Col R Q Mills Comdg
Smith's Brigade Cleburne's Division Army Tennessee
19580 Rifle Cart Cal 54
29755 Musket Caps
I certify that the above is a correct statement of ammunition expended in
action as above
Jno. R. Kennard
Capt Comdg Regt
[10th Texas Compiled Service Records]
Notes
The above ordnance reports give rare insight into the ammunition used by this command. The records are extremely important, for they are the first available ordnance records of the regiment since it arrived to the Army of Tennessee. Hopefully, further research will uncover when the 10th Texas Infantry (at this time, Consolidated with the 6th Texas Infantry 15th Texas and the Dismounted Cavalry).
Normally, such documents as these would not have occured in such detail on regimental level, but, due to casualties encurred by the regimentat Tunnel Hill (the Confederate right flank of Missionary Ridge), the command devolved to Capt. Jonathan Kennard, Commanding Co. A, 10th Texas Infantry. Since company commanders were responsible for equipment losses by their men, Capt. Kennard made a detailed inventory of the losses of all the equipment lost by the entire regiment.
If the law of statistical averages apply, it can be assumed,
by the above lists, that prior to the engagement at Missionary Ridge, the
regiment was armed entirely with 54 cal. arms; approximately 88% Austrian and
12% Mississippi rifles.
Copyright © 1998-2009, Scott McKay