3rd Maryland Artillery at Vicksburg

06 26 1863 [Friday]

At eleven o’clock this Friday morning Capt. “Ferd” Osman Claiborne, Commanding the 3rd Maryland Battery, Reynold’s Brigade, was “buried in a plain black coffin, according to the forms of the Lutheran Church by Major Giesler of the 59th Tennessee Rifles, a licensed minister.

The previous day, Ferd, who thought he glimpsed the foe approaching, borrowed a field telescope from his cousin [W. H. Claiborne] and hurried to a forward artillery position. He had barely given an order to open fire when struck in the face by a shell fragment.

The word was quickly brought back to an incredulous William Claiborne, who hurried to his cousin's side. Ferd Osman died a few minutes later without gaining consciousness.

That night Captain Claiborne’s body, in full uniform, lay in the commanding colonel’s tent, attended by an honor guard, as mourning comrades filed past.

"I wished to have the service read by an Episcopal clergyman but we failed to find one," noted Claiborne. He was buried on a little knoll about 100 yards north of [Brigade Commander, Col. A. W.] Reynold’s quarters. The place was selected by Frank and Major Phifer. I was feeling too badly to go out. I regret there are no trees near the spot to shelter it from the sun and rains, but this was almost unavoidable. I will as soon as possible procure a stone with a suitable inscription to mark the spot.

His burial was attended by the colonel and staff, the members of his company and a large number of devoted friends. All were more affected than I remember to have seen on former occasion. The general [Col. Reynolds] wept like a child. It was a strange sight--while shot and shell were falling thick and fast to see strong men used to war and blood and death around them, bend the humble knee, forget their vengeful passions and by the grave of a soldier shed tears like a woman--but so is war.

"This is a terrible blow to me. I loved him more than language can express . . ."

[Col. Reynold's HQ was located a few hundred yards to the rear of Salient Point on Hall's Ferry Road. It is my understanding that his body was later removed to his home in Louisiana for reburial]

(Vicksburg, A. A. Hoehling, pp. 230/1)