Started by a group of veteran reenactors, Bledsoe’s brings the cannon fire of the civil war to life. We bring out a real piece of American history. Our cannon is an original 6 pound field gun. This cannon served in both the Mexican and Civil war, where it was taken and used by the south for the majority of the war. We are out to help preserve history and honor the men who fought on both sides of t
his bloody conflict. Bledsoe’s battery is a Confederate unit, named after Captain Hiram Bledsoe. Bledsoe was commissioned in Missouri and giving an artillery unit. Bledsoe and his battery fought in the western theatre of the war, battles such as Wilsons Creek,Corinth and Shiloh. As such we try to portray a western unit, where even early in the war uniforms were scarce and soldiers pieced together whatever they could find. Many of the soldiers brought clothes from home and may have only been issued a jacket or hat. was born in Cumberland County, Kentucky in 1798. His birthday is unknown as his family records were in a bible destroyed in a fire in 1865. Bledsoe is of English and Irish decent and moved to Bourbon County, Kentucky in his youth where he grew up on a farm. As a young man, Bledsoe became the sheriff for Bourbon County, and later as a State Legislator. By 1832 He moved to Lafayette County, Missouri, entering on a large land contract in Lafayette and Cass Counties. At this point Bledsoe gave up politics and moved on to ministry, organizing many churches in Missouri. His twilight years were spent with religion, as well as managing his farm. Bledsoe died October 25th, 1876. He was 80 years old. (information from find a grave.com)
Bledsoe's battery was formed in Missouri in June of 1861 in response to Gov. Jackson's proclamation calling for 50,000 state militia to be raised. Hiram Bledsoe was made captain of this unit, hence it being called Bledsoe's Battery. When originally formed, Bledsoe's Battery only had two cannons, a 6 pound iron smoothbore, and old Sacramento. Old Sac, as it was known, was a captured Mexican war cannon given to the state of Missouri by the U.S. It was originally a 9 pound cannon, but was rebored to 12 pound. It wasn’t bored all the way though, the last four inches of the tube were still at the 9 pound boring, so powder charges had to be made in the field. Old Sac also had a high sliver content in it (the cannon is thought to be cast from church bells) and had a distinctive ring when fired. Old Sac eventually wore out and was melted down and recast into other guns. Due to guns being worn out and captured on both sides, Bledsoe ended up with many different guns under his command, ranging from 6 pound field guns, ordnance rifles and 12 pound Napoleons, Including a Witworth gun that exploded during the battle of Raymond, Mississippi. During the war, Missouri was an evenly divided state. Bledsoe’s Battery was part of the Missouri state guard originally, before becoming a confederate unit. They were known not only as an artillery unit, but also as skirmishers and ambushers, always being in the thickest of the fight. One story tells of Bledsoe hiding his battery and ordering to hold fire until the enemy was within 20 paces. He then fired double canister. Bledsoe was also known to make his own ammunition in the field, and would stuff all sorts of things down the barrel of his guns. One story tells of him putting bags of number 1 shot down the barrels of his cannon. Battles Bledsoe served in include Wilson's Creek, Elkhorn, Dry Fork, Lexington, Carthage, Corinth, Iuka, Franklin, Nashville, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold Gap, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Jackson, Mississippi, as well as the battle of Atlantic, and Columbia. The Majority of Bledsoe’s battery surrendered to Union forces on either the 1st or 2nd of May, 1865, in Augusta Georgia. The officers surrendered throughout Georgia and Mississippi. Hiram Bledsoe Surrendered in Texas, Most likely on his way to Mexico. Bledsoe’s battery, while well known during the war, became famous afterwards as well as stories were told of their bravery and skills in battle. They were a force to be reckoned with. Bledsoe’s was also one of the few artillery units to keep the same commander (except for a few weeks when Hiram was wounded and not on the field) and Battery name throughout the entire war.
