172 Southern Historical Society Papers.
it is remembered that this move was perhaps the death blow to the Confederate cause.
On the 30th, the battaUon started for Rienza, Miss. On arriving there orders were received to proceed at once to Columbus, Miss., which it reached January loth, 1865, and camped two miles east of the town.
The howitzer brought from Columbia, Tenn., by the battery, was turned over to the ordnance officer at Columbus, Miss., as no howit- zers were then used in the Army of Tennessee.
On the 20th, Lieutenant Ritter was promoted to the captaincy by the following special order :
Headquarters, Columbus, Miss., January 20th, 1865. Special Order, No. 10 :
The following promotion is announced, the officer named being deemed competent for promotion :
First-Lieutenant William L. Ritter, of the Third Maryland Artil- lery, to be Captain, from December i6th, 1S64, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Captain John B. Rowan, killed December 1 6th, 1864, before Nashville, Tenn.
By command of Major General Elzey,
William Palfrey, Captain and Assistant- Adjutant.
To Captain William L. Ritter,
Through Colonel M Smith :
General Beauregard made a request of General Hood, to send his son's battery, with the first battalion of artillery that was sent to South Carolina. Johnston's battalion being the first ordered there, Captain Beauregard's battery was sent with it instead of the Third Maryland, which was transferred to Cobb's battalion, Smith's regi- ment of artillery.
On the 25th, the battalion was ordered two miles north of Colum- bus, on the east side of the river, there to build winter-quarters. Just as the men were finishing the buildings orders wei'e received for the battalion to proceed at once to Mobile, Ala.
