Johnsonville by Jerry T. Wooten

Author:Jerry T. Wooten [Wooten, Jerry T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, United States, Civil War Period (1850-1877), Modern, 19th Century
ISBN: 9781611214772
Google: xbRPwgEACAAJ
Publisher: Savas Beatie
Published: 2019-10-14T00:47:34+00:00

Paris Landing and Fort Heiman

Forrest’s raid was thus far unfolding as planned. On October 28, Buford reached the mouth of the Big Sandy River where it flows into the Tennessee River just below Paris Landing. Forrest had instructed Buford that when he reached the Tennessee, he should establish gun positions there and continue riding north into southern Kentucky to occupy Fort Heiman.13

Buford did as ordered. After a careful reconnaissance he selected artillery positions, with Capt. Morton’s assistance, to command the river from both directions. The men placed a section of guns above and below the landing. The first section of two pieces north of the landing belonged to Lt. Joseph M. Mason of Morton’s battery. They were under the command of Sgt. Lemuel Zarring because Mason had fallen sick at Jackson. The second section was positioned “1000 yards above Paris Landing” near the mouth of the Big Sandy River. These guns belonged to Lt. Milton H. Trantham of Walton’s battery, under Sgt.-Maj. Orlando M. Crozier. Bell’s brigade of mounted infantry assisted the gunners by helping prepare the positions at each of the locations so they could hold “about four or five” 3-inch Ordnance Rifles.14

Buford divided his division at Paris Landing, leaving Bell’s brigade and two sections of Morton’s and Walton’s batteries behind while Lyon’s brigade and the rest of his guns continued five miles north just over the Kentucky line to occupy the abandoned Fort Heiman. Buford arrived there late on the afternoon of October 28 and ordered Walton’s battery (formerly Hudson’s Mississippi Battery), commanded by Capt. Edwin S. Walton, to oversee the positioning of a pair of 20-pounder Parrott Rifles that had been captured and transported from Mobile, Alabama. Walton assisted Lt. William O. Hunter in positioning the powerful rifled guns in the upper area of Fort Heiman.15

The remainder of Morton’s battery—a section of 3-inch Rodman guns under Lt. John W. Brown—was concealed in thick underbrush along the river bank about 800 yards south of Fort Heiman. Forrest’s orders were to “prevent all communication with Johnsonville by transports,” and one way to help bring this about was to camouflage the guns. “[E]ach of these sections was masked,” recalled Morton, “and each commanded the river about a mile from either direction.” Lyon’s brigade of primarily mounted infantry protected both artillery sections at Fort Heiman from any approach by the enemy on land.16

Meanwhile, that same evening five miles farther south, Bell’s mounted infantry assisted Sgt.-Maj. Crozier in planting his artillery section near the mouth of the Big Sandy River. They were doing so when a Federal gunboat and two empty transports, having recently unloaded their cargo at Johnsonville, steamed north around a bend heading toward Paducah. Bell’s orders were to “not to disturb any transports or gunboats until the batteries were thoroughly prepared for action,” so he directed his men to keep out of sight and allow the boats to pass. Later, when the same gunboat and transports reached the vicinity of Fort Heiman, the masked Rebel batteries there also held their fire.

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