December 22, 2014

A Sampling of Cushing’s Battery

With all the recent news about Lt. Cushing receiving the Medal of Honor, I wanted to go and pay my respects. Of course, the fact that there were multiple artillery pieces in the vicinity made my decision much sweeter. Here’s one of the 3-inch Ordnance Rifles. In the background you can see the Abraham Brian farm (far left); 26^TH North Carolina (small “pink” monument behind the stone wall); 39^TH New York; 14^TH Connecticut; 1^ST Massachusetts Sharpshooters; the monument and artillery pieces of Battery A, 1^ST Rhode Island Artillery; Battery K, 1^ST New York Light Artillery; Gen. Meade’s equestrian statue; 99^TH Pennsylvania; and a caisson from Cushing’s Battery. (I love detail work!)

The second photo shows one of Cushing’s caissons up close (as well as another caisson, Gen. Webb, and the 1^ST Pennsylvania Cavalry in the background). I’ve got to say I never really appreciated caissons as much as cannon --- I’m more of an aesthetic type --- but of course without a caisson to bring ammunition, a cannon wouldn’t do much good. Take note of the cannon wheel shadow to the right of the photo --- unintended artistic detail. :-)

**HONORED TODAY**

SGT. OLIVER J. ROE

Co. I, 1^ST Minnesota Infantry

Born October 14, 1829 --- Died July 06, 1863, at age 33)

Sgt. Roe was no stranger to military service, having served in the Mexican War. He enlisted in the 1^ST Minnesota in April 1861 and took an enemy shell to the knee on the third day at Gettysburg. He later died from his wound and was buried at New Washington Christian Church Cemetery in Clark County, Indiana.


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