Description
Carte view of the very colorful Lieutenant Colonel James Totten of the 2nd US Artillery. He had a particular style with which he used to issue orders to his batteries. Punctuated with profanity, a typical order might sound like, “Forward that caisson, G-d d–n you, sir!” It was claimed that some soldiers would walk half a mile just to listen to Totten for five minutes. Totten commanded Battery F, 2nd US Artillery and would fight at the Camp Jackson Affair, the Battle of Boonville, Battle of Dug Springs, and the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. He was breveted Major for gallant and meritorious conduct at Boonville and was promoted again to lieutenant colonel in September 1861 for gallant conduct at Wilson’s Creek. Promoted to brigadier general in the Missouri Militia, he commanded the 2nd Division in the Army of the Frontier in 1862. In 1865 Totten commanded the artillery in the Military Division of West Mississippi and participated in the Battle of Fort Blakeley. Following the war, he would receive brevets “for gallant and meritorious service during the siege of Mobile, Alabama” and a brevet to brigadier general “for gallant and meritorious service in the field during the war”. Back marked out of St. Louis.
