US5ART-06D
John Jenkins Designs
During the early action on Henry House Hill, two batteries were ordered to advance to a position near to the Henry House. These were batteries of the regular US army, efficient and well commanded. Both these batteries had been actively engaged from the very beginning of the battle.
The batteries were commanded by Captain James Ricketts, and Captain Charles Griffin. It is believed McDowell made a serious tactical error in giving the order for the batteries to advance up the hill. They were told that the 11th New York Regiment were on their way to support the advance.
The southern cause was helped by a case of mistaken identity. Colonel Arthur C. Cummings’s 33rd Virginia Regiment wore blue uniforms. The Colonel afraid his men would break and run if they were held in their position any longer, ordered them to advance towards the guns of Ricketts and Griffin.
Griffin saw them coming and swung two of his guns round and had them loaded with cannister. Just as he was about to fire, his superior officer, Major William F. Barry, shouted , “Captain, don’t fire there; those are your battery support.”
“They are Confederates” Griffin shouted back, as certain as the world, they are Confederates.”
But Barry insisted, and the guns were swung back to their original line of fire.
The Virginians, meanwhile marched ever closer, halted and fired a volley.
Griffin told a subsequent Board of Inquiry, “was the last of us, We were all cut down.”
Most of the horses and many of the gunners were killed.
Ricketts was severely wounded. Griffin struggled to save what he could, but Cummings and his Virginians were among them quickly to capture the guns and much ammunition.