“By God, those are Yankees!”

Fighting on the Confederate left was mired in confusion. Confederate General Bushrod Johnson and Daniel Adams’s Brigades movements were hampered by hilly terrain, which resulted in the brigades slamming into each other. This confusion was compounded by Adams’s encounter with the 42nd Indiana retrieving water from Bull Run Creek. He initially mistook the Union troops for Confederate infantry, and after arguing with his officers, rode forward to investigate.

Upon returning to his lines, and after receiving fire from the 42nd Indiana, Adams watched a line of men move directly across his front in the direction the Indiana troops had taken. He believed these men were more Federal troops returning to their lines. Adams was again mistaken. These were the men of Bushrod Johnson’s Brigade, who had changed position and were now moving in front of the Washington Artillery’s guns. Adams ordered artillery commander, Captain Cuthbert H. Slocomb, to open fire on what he believed were Union troops. The Louisiana artillerist instantly fired on the 44th TN Infantry. Several Tennesseans fell immediately.

The 5th Company Washington Battalion Volunteer Artillery was formed in Lafayette Square, New Orleans, Louisiana and entered Confederate service on March 6, 1862. The battery had two 6-pound smoothbore guns, two 6-pound rifled guns, and two 12-pound howitzers. Captain Cuthbert Slocomb became battery commander on June 13, 1862. By October, he would be in the Battle of Perryville where his guns were involved in the “friendly fire” incident.

Throughout the afternoon of October 8, fighting at Perryville intensified. The melee around the H.P. Bottom House grew bloodier. Captain Slocomb and his men recovered from the initial confusion, even warding off a charge from Confederate infantry. The Washington Artillery advanced uphill past the Bottom House, passing a burning barn which its shells had ignited. Dozens of wounded Union soldiers sheltered in the barn burned to death. The battery ended its advance within a half mile of the Dixville Crossroads, where the Union line finally held.

The majority of the Washington Artillery served in the Army of the Northern Virginia, under Robert E. Lee. However, the 5th Company served in the West fighting at Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, The Atlanta Campaign, and Mobile. The battery surrendered at Citronelle, Alabama on May 4, 1865. Approximately 382 men served in the battery and of that number, 43 were killed in battle, one died in an accident, and six died of disease.