Our Battery

Cannon, horses and hurried orders shape O. P. Cutter's account of service with Company B of the First Ohio Artillery during the American Civil War. Written in spare moments of camp life and published in 1864 at the urging of fellow soldiers, the journal begins with the company's departure from Cleveland in September 1861. Training at Camp Dennison soon gives way to travel through Kentucky, where muddy roads, river crossings and the need to feed and water horses make movement a demanding operation.

Cutter records practical details alongside the men's changing spirits. Food offered by civilians, new clothing and pay bring relief, while repeated orders to march interrupt hopes of rest. His account of reaching Louisville after a long march captures exhaustion as well as the soldiers' dry humor about military decisions. Readers interested in artillery service and the daily work behind campaigns will find a soldier's view of the effort required to keep a battery moving.