I need some help please with an Arkansan from Little Rock by the name of Maj. Wm. P. Parks who in the 1st Arkansas Battery which was absorbed into the 1st TN Heavy Artillery by the time of the Vicksburg seige. From Vicksburg NPS markers, it seems that Parks commanded what had been Hoadley's battery - Co. B. which was the upper water battery of four guns on Fort Hill. Parks continued to refer to his group as "the Arkansas Battery" after the war. He told the President Davis that his four guns virtually sank the U. S. S. Cincinnati on May 27. I found a letter from Parks to him in which he says he broke the truce on July 4, 1863, by firing at Union troops who were attempting to erect a battery using the Cincinnati's guns to fire on their position on Fort Hill on the night of the July 3 truce. He had no time to wait for an order from Pemberton, believing that if his guns were silenced then they would be destroyed and overrun.
I checked the OR to see if the truce was indeed broken by cannon fire. It was.
OR, Series 1, Vol. 24, part 3,
page 462
July 3, 1863 “ The news is so good I can hardly believe it, and I am confused by the sound of cannon at Vicksburg this p. m.
Signed W. T. Sherman
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Page 463
OAK RIDGE, July 3, 1863.
General GRANT:
General Sherman desires me to ask what means the heavy firing at Vicksburg.
JNO. G. PARKE.
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NEAR Vicksburg, July 3, 1863.
General PARKE:
Flag of truce only covered bearer of dispatches; firing was continued by balance of the line.
U. S. GRANT
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Grant seemed to make nothing of it, but the cannons were firing as Parks said - though I don't find anything about it in the three Vicksburg reference books that I have. Parks told Davis that Pemberton was furious and he expected to be arrested,but he felt he had to make a stand.
I found several biographical sketches of Parks. One included this newspaper article as a reference. “Arkansan in One of Most Daring Naval Feats in History of World.” Arkansas Gazette. May 16, 1911, p. 17. I think this may be an account of that night Parks broke the truce, but I don't know. If anyone has access to this article, I'd love to see it or get a copy if possible.
I am doing a non-profit article for Mississippi River Routes, the Vicksburg Genealogical Society's quarterly. It is based on an unpublished letter written to Emily Weaver of Batesville by Newt McConaughy of Little Rock in March of 1863. He mentions Capt. Parks and Lt. Baggett briefly. I am footnoting Parks rather heavily since his is such an interesting story. Thanks for any help you are able to give.
Sue B. Moore
Longview, TX