I read your postings re Hart's Battery with great interest.

Do you think it might be possible that Hart's Battery is being described in the following excerpt from an 1895 letter written by a member of the 17th Arkansas Infantry who was present at Pea Ridge/Elkhorn Tavern? Here is the letter:
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Ben B. Chism,
Attorney at Law

Paris, Ark., May 28, 1895

Mrs. Harlow Bishop
Junction, Tx

Dear Mrs. Bishop:

I wrote you a short time ago, in which I stated that your letter to Major B.J. [B.P.] Jett relating to your brother Col. John Griffith – had been referred to me to answer. I cannot now furnish you anything ready for publication. I will simply give you as I recall to memory my recollection of your brother’s command-organization, engagements, etc. I have no data to [?] use now whatever and I am plagued that I cannot recall the names of some of the officers – their given names especially.

The 17th Arks. Infty [sic] Regt. was organized at Cross Hollows, Arks. in Washington County I believe in Fall of 1861. Frank Rector was elected Col. – John Griffith Lt. Col. – Matheson Major. The Regt. went into Winter quarters at Bentonville, Arks. and left there a short time before the battle of Elk Horn (Pea Ridge) – in which battle the Regt. participated on both 7th & 8th March 1862. You had [a] brother either killed or wounded in this battle.

The Regt. was hard pressed and retired [on the] 8th for want of ammunition, it seemed the Confederate Army had pretty well all left the battlefield before the 17th retreated. The enemy pressed us – hard. I remember this incident – we had little or no ammunition – and were retreating slowly when an artillery officer galloped up to Col. Griffith – who was commanding (Col. Rector, owing to a severe cold could not be heard to give a command) and said to him, “For God’s sake, save my battery!”. Three or four pieces of artillery were coming down a hill side – Col. Griffith answered, “Captain, I have no ammunition, but I can use the bayonet!”. The command was given “By [?] Regiment into line – guard against cavalry”. In this position we stood in line – until the Federal Cavalry had flanked us pretty well on the left, getting into our rear – at this juncture a Missouri (Confd.) Regt. passed near to us – making its way after our retreating army.

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Please let me know your thoughts on the letter and whether or not you think it might be referring to Hart's Battery?

thanks for your time,

Kenneth Byrd