Episode 43: SGT William H. Tunnard and the 3rd Louisiana at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek

At the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, 10 August 1861, SGT William H. Tunnard and the 3rd Louisiana advanced north against an artillery battery which opened upon them only to run into a Battalion of US Infantry. After being repulsed, the regiment hastened south to face a Union Brigade marching from the south.

Sources used for this episode:

Tunnard, William H. A Southern Record. The History of the Third Regiment Louisiana Infantry. Baton Rouge, 1866. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t8kd1r57h&seq=9.

Scott, Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 3. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1881. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079597021&view=1up&seq=3.

Episode Transcript

(00:22):
Hello, everyone.
My name is Bill Coghlan, andwelcome to First Person Civil
War Podcast, which retells thestories of the soldiers and
officers on the ground in thebattles of a civil war.
Episode 43 is entitled, SergeantWilliam H.

(00:42):
Tunard, in the 3rd Louisiana, atthe Battle of Wilson's Creek,
and relies on his book, TheHistory of the 3rd Regiment,
Louisiana Infantry, which heprivately published in 1866.
William H.
Tunnard was born in New Jerseyin 1838 to William F.

(01:04):
Tunnard from New York City.
While still a child, William'sfather moved his entire family
west to Illinois, then finallysouth to New Orleans by 1842.
By 1860, William Tunard's familyhad moved to Baton Rouge, where
his father became a wealthymechanic.

(01:25):
Following John Brown's raid onHarper's Ferry, William Tunard
decided to join the PelicanRifles, which was a militia
company that formed on 25November 1859, in anticipation
that a war was on the horizon.
After the firing on Fort Sumter,the Pelican Rifles, as an entire

(01:45):
company, answered the Governorof Louisiana's call for
volunteers to travel by anymeans to New Orleans and form
into regiments.
Upon arrival at New Orleans,William Tunard and his company
joined approximately 3, 000 menwho had also heeded the
governor's call.
On 17 May, 1861, the PelicanRifles, 87 men in all, mustered

(02:12):
into Confederate service asCompany K in the 3rd Louisiana.
William H.
Tunard received the rank ofsergeant, and his older brother,
Fred, received the rank ofsecond lieutenant, also in
Company K.
What became commonplace inregiments both north and south
was the presence of familymembers within the same

(02:34):
regiments, and the 3rd Louisianawas no exception.
Lieutenant Colonel S.
M.
Hyams, the second in command,had three sons in the regiment.
There was also Major William F.
Tunard, father to William andFred, who held the third highest
rank in the regiment, Once fullyformed the third, Louisiana had

(02:57):
a strength of 1085 men anddeparted for Arkansas after
officially entering Confederateservice.
The regiment traveled by boat ofthe Mississippi and Arkansas
Rivers until they arrived atFort Smith on seven June.
Here, the Louisianans wereassigned to McCullough's
Brigade.

(03:17):
Commanded by Colonel James M.
McIntosh, of the Western Army,commanded by Brigadier General
Benjamin McCullough.
The state of Missouri was amicrocosm of the greater
national divide between Northand South.
Missouri was a slave state, butmany within its borders did not

(03:37):
want to side with the South.
As previously highlighted in anearlier episode, the state of
Missouri furnished both Unionand Confederate regiments, and
the geographical position as aborder state, meant that it was
seen to some of the firstoffensive moves by both sides.

(03:58):
At the outbreak of war.
The state of Missouri declaredarmed neutrality, and the State
General Assembly formed theMissouri State Guard to act as a
force to defend the state ofMissouri from both union and
Confederate forces.
Following the Camp Jacksonaffair highlighted in episode
41, The Union Army and the Stateof Missouri si Signed the price

(04:22):
Harney Truce named after the twoascending military commanders,
which essentially placed thecity of St.
Louis under the control of theUnion Army while the Missouri
State Guard controlled the restof the state.
The truce would not last,however, as the Missouri State
Guard coordinated with theConfederate government for aid,

(04:45):
and the Union Army, aftergaining knowledge of this,
fought several skirmishes withthe Missouri State Guard.
As these sides skirmished, theMissouri State Legislature was
forced to depart Jefferson City,the state capitol.
By late July, the union leaningMissouri Constitutional
Convention, formed by specialelection in February 1861,

(05:09):
reconvened, voted againstsecession, and declared the
governor's seat, held by theConfederate leaning Claiborne
Fox Jackson and the statelegislature, vacant.
On 1 August, Governor Jacksonand a rump session of the
Missouri Legislature, now bothin exile in southwest Missouri,
passed an ordinance ofsecession.

(05:33):
After being pursued by BrigadierGeneral Nathaniel Lyon's Army of
the West, the Missouri StateGuard encamped at Cassville,
approximately 20 miles from theArkansas border.
It was here in late July thatSergeant Tunard, the 3rd
Louisiana, and the entireConfederate Western Army linked
up with the Missourians.

(05:57):
On the 29th reached Cassville,where the regiment was greeted
by the wildest enthusiasm by theMissourians.
Amid vociferous cheers, thethunder of artillery, and waving
of banners, the regiment marchedpast the camp of the State
Troops, eliciting numerousremarks of praise and
admiration.

(06:18):
By their steady and regulartread, and their deportment as a
disciplined body of troops.
The Missouri State Guardcombined with the Western Army
and now had a numericalsuperiority over the pursuing
Union Army of approximately twoto one.
But Brigadier General Lyon didnot know this fact until he

(06:40):
skirmished with the ConfederateArmy on 2 August at Doug Springs
before retreating toSpringfield.
On the night of 4 to 5 August,the confederate army marched
closer towards Springfield,code.
And Sergeant Tunard, in the 3rdLouisiana, with little
intelligence on the exactposition of the enemy, expected

(07:01):
a fight at any time.
Tramp, tramp, tramp.
Firm and undaunted, the armyproceeded on its perilous
journey like a band of darkspirits, over the hard and rocky
road, accompanied by the dullrumbling of the artillery
carriages over hills, along aroad skirted by dense underbrush

(07:24):
and tall trees.
And through those narroweddefiles, the army proceeded.
That was a night that triedmen's souls.
Although moving forward inmomentary expectation of being
attacked, nothing specialoccurred.
As the first rosette hues ofmorn tinged the eastern horizon,

(07:44):
our advance came upon the picketof the enemy, who were so
completely taken by surprisethat they precipitately fled,
leaving behind them coats,provisions, and utensils.
The Confederate Army establisheda camp along Wilson's Creek,
which is southwest of the townof Springfield.

(08:06):
With this knight movement,Brigadier General Lyon wrote to
Major General Fremont, thecommander of the Department of
the West, of his plans to departwithin the next few days.
Before he could depart,Brigadier General Lyon planned
an attack upon the Confederateson 10 August, to ensure no
pursuit of his army as itretreated north.

(08:30):
The Confederate Army alsoplanned an attack for 10 August.
But ultimately cancelled due toa thunderstorm.
Sergeant Tunard and the 3rdLouisiana went to sleep, unaware
of a blunder in the army thatguaranteed a Union surprise
attack the next day.
At nine o'clock, the order foran advance was countermanded,

(08:52):
but the troops required to holdthemselves in readiness to march
at a moment's notice.
The picket guards have beenrecalled so as to be ready to
march with their respectivecommands, and in expectation of
momentarily receiving marchingorders, the different regimental
commanders objected to sendingthem out again.

(09:13):
The Union Army of the West,despite being outnumbered, split
in two, and on 10 Augustadvanced upon the Confederate
camp from the north and south.
Sergeant Tunard, in the 3rdLouisiana, witnessed the opening
of the fight from a distance,and quickly formed in line of
battle.

(09:34):
Scarcely had they formed inline, Ere McCullough dashed up,
Furious with excitement andrage, And shouted, colonel, why
the hell don't you lead your menout?
The question was not repeated.
As the regiment began to moveinto position, a puff of smoke
arose from a clump of treesnorthwest of our position,

(09:56):
followed by another, accompaniedby an ugly scream of shot, and
their sudden, dull thug into theground.
This was the 2nd U.
S.
Artillery, but the battery wastoo far away for the 3rd
Louisiana to directly engage, asthe 1st U.
S.
Infantry, commanded by CaptainJoseph B.

(10:17):
Plummer, formed in their front.
The battalion was pushed forwardrapidly, and soon, the enemy
opened on us from the left.
But his fire was light andeasily quelled.
Our advance was in the directionof the enemy's battery.
On the hill opposite Lt.
Du Bois battery, with theintention of storming it, should

(10:40):
the opportunity offer.
This was observed by the enemy,and a large force was
accumulated in our front and onour left flank, and our forward
progress was checked.
Not all terrain.
At the Battle of Wilson's Creekwas advantageous for regiments
to maneuver and Sergeant Tunardand the 3rd Louisiana had to

(11:03):
form a marching column as theyadvanced toward the Union Army.
As the regiment advanced throughthe dense undergrowth towards
the open field, a terrible andscathing fire was opened on them
by nearly double their numbersof us regulars.
The flower of General Lyon'sarmy.

(11:24):
The regiment rapidly wheeledinto line of battle, each
company taking its position withprompt celerity.
Numbers of the men had alreadyfallen.
Despite getting into position,Sergeant Tunard and the 3rd
Louisiana had difficultyengaging the 1st U.
S.
Infantry, as they had to crossterrain on the western bank of

(11:47):
Wilson's Creek.
The enemy were securely postedbehind the fence, while our
position behind the bushesrendered it almost an utter
impossibility to obtain a goodview of them.
Even by our coolest and clearestsighted marksmen.
Seeking every possibleprotection and shelter The fight

(12:08):
was maintained with a stubbornand determined valor.
Not a stone's throw from eachother, these lines of men,
composed of old regulars and avirgin volunteer regiment of
Louisianans, We're combatingeach other with dogged
obstinacy.
Men were dropping all along theline.
It was becoming uncomfortablyhot.

(12:30):
When Captain Macintosh dashedalong the line, shouting, Get
up, Louisianans, and chargethem! Do you all wish to be
killed?
The third Louisiana's charge wassuccessful in Dislodging the
Union regulars from the fencewho reformed closer to the same
artillery pieces that hadalready opened upon Sergeant

(12:51):
Toner and his comrades under thecombined musket and Canister
Fire, the Louisianans wereforced to retreat and reformed
behind the shelter of a Hill.
The Union plan of attack atWilson's Creek was a double
envelopment, or a pincermovement, from the north and
south upon the Confederate camp.

(13:13):
Brigadier General Lyon commandedthe northern pincer of three
brigades, which arrived on thefield first.
Shortly afterward, Col.
Franz Siegel's Southern Pinsirof 1 Brigade formed and saw
initial success advancing uponthe Confederate rear, which
consisted of cavalry.
As Col.
Siegel's men advanced,Confederate leadership turned to

(13:35):
Sgt.
Tunnard and the 3rd Louisiana tomarch to the relief of the
cavalry.
The officers immediately beganto form the regiment, which had
become much scattered in theirprecipitate retreat when General
McCullough rode up to the rightof the line, and After making
some inquiries and remarks,said, Come on, my brave lads, I

(13:59):
have a battery for you tocharge, and the day is ours.
The men followed the leadershipof their brave general with
steady, regular tread along thevalley, crossing around the base
of the hill, over the creek.
That is, Wilson's Creek, wherethe road took an abrupt turn
westward and ascended aprecipitous rocky hill, to the

(14:20):
left of which was postedSiegel's Battery.
As Colonel Siegel's brigadeadvanced to the sharp farm, he
noticed that the constant roarof artillery and musketry from
the north had all but ceased.
With such a distance between thenorthern and southern pincers,
these two formations could notcommunicate with each other.

(14:41):
While the 3rd Louisiana rushedto the south, Colonel Siegel
made a critical blunder.
At this time, and after someskirmishing in front of our
line, the firing in thedirection of the northwest,
Which was during an hour's time,roaring in succession, had
almost entirely ceased.
I therefore thought that theattack of General Lyon had been

(15:05):
successful, and that his troopswere in pursuit of the enemy,
who moved in large massestowards the south, along the
ridge.
It was reported to me by Dr.
Melchior and some of ourskirmishers that Lion's Men were
coming up the road.
Lieutenant Colonel Albert, ofthe 3rd, and Colonel Solomon, of
the 5th, notified theirregiments not to fire on troops

(15:28):
coming in this direction, whilstI cautioned the artillery in the
same manner.
At such an early time in thewar.
Not every regiment held to theblue uniform of the union or
gray uniform of the Confederacy.
The 1st Iowa Infantry of theNorthern Pinser wore gray
uniforms.

(15:49):
And this was the suspectedregiment marching toward Colonel
Siegel's men.
But it was not the case.
Sergeant Tunard and the 3rdLouisiana, by sheer luck, were
mistaken for a Union regiment.
The men scaled the rockyhillside and came abruptly upon
the enemy's guns.

(16:13):
With loud huzzahs, they rushedupon the battery, sweeping it at
the point of the bayonet, erethe amazed foe could recover
from their astonishment.
They fled into a cornfield andalong the road in the rear of
their lost battery, with thevictors in close pursuit.
The charge of Sergeant Tard andthe third Louisiana successfully

(16:36):
routed Colonel Siegel's brigade.
Once the regiment reformed.
The louisianans were called uponyet again to march North with
orders to take the artillerypieces that opened upon them at
the beginning of the fight.
As the regiment deployed in lineof battle for a third time, the
Union Army was in full retreatand the Battle of Wilson's Creek

(16:59):
ended.
Sergeant Tunard was present withthe 3rd Louisiana at the Battle
of Pea Ridge.
In the wake of that battle, theregiment reorganized, and
William H.
Tunard became a commissarysergeant for the regiment until
it surrendered at Vicksburg on 4July 1863.

(17:22):
William H.
Tunnard privately published hisbook, the history of the 3rd
Regiment Louisiana Infantry in1866, and was adamant in that
his book was simply a retellingof a soldier's story from the
ranks.
That, truth is stranger thanfiction, is an axiom as correct

(17:44):
as it is trite.
Thus I claim for these pages ofhistory, a strict adherence to
truthfulness in recording actualoccurrences, facts garnered from
the great and bloody drama ofthe late war, around which
lingers imperishable glory,possessing all the fascination
and interest of romance.

(18:05):
This record has been dotted downon the long and weary march, in
the quiet camp, withinbreastworks and besieged
strongholds, before and afterthe fierce conflict and deadly
strife.
A correct record of events asthey actually occurred, they are
presented to the public.

(18:26):
Thank you for listening to the43rd episode.
The link to Sgt.
Tunnard's book and to socialmedia accounts are now available
on the podcast website,FirstPersonCivilWarPodcast.
com.
On Facebook, Instagram, X, andLinkedIn this week, you will

(18:47):
find a picture of William H.
Tunnard in 1866.
Just a quick announcement, thenext episode publishes on 2
April.
For the rest of March, myschedule is becoming quite busy,
and I am unable to publish anepisode at that time.
Thank you for yourunderstanding.

(19:09):
On two April.
Major James H.
Kidd, commander of the sixthMichigan Cavalry provides next
episodes first person account atthe Battle of Yellow Tavern.
my name is Bill Coghlan, andthank you for listening to First

(19:30):
Person Civil War Podcast.