Here is something I put together from the Official Records. I got interested when I found that my gguncle, Jacinth Louis Verneuille was wounded on the first day of the battle by being "blown off his horse by the concussion of a shell and suffered a severe rupture". I got this info from his pension records. Another good source for some info on Gage's Battery is Wiley Sword's book "Shiloh: Bloody April". There are several mentions of the Battery. A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Shiloh and found a placard noting the spot where Gage's battery was engaged. As it turns out, that spot is just outside the boundries of the park on private land. It was quite a feeling to stand there and wonder what it must have been like. Enough of that. If I can be of any help, please ask.
Tom Marcet

Gage’s Battery - Shiloh

The following are excerpts from the after action report of James R. Chalmers, Brig. Gen., Commanding Second Brigade, Withers’ Division, Second Corps, Army of the Mississippi. This action took place on day one of the battle, April 6, 1862.

“When the orders were received from General Withers to move on, skirmishers were thrown out in front of the whole line, and place in command of Maj. F. E. Whitfield, of the Ninth Mississippi Regiment, who led them with great coolness and with marked ability and skill. Our orders were to swing around, with our right resting on the creek bottom and to drive the enemy before us toward Pittsburg, and we accordingly moved forward, advancing most rapidly on the right and gradually wheeling the whole line. In this order we were marching when our skirmishers developed the enemy concealed behind a fence, in thick undergrowth, with an open field or orchard in his front. The width of this orchard was about 350 or 400 yards, and behind it was a very steep and perfectly abrupt hill, at the foot of which ran a small branch. At the base of this hill ran the Hamburg and Pittsburg road, skirting the orchard at its base and then turning to the right running alongside of it, the orchard being to the right of the road. The ground from the branch to the fence, where the enemy was concealed, was a gradual ascent, and our line was in full view of the enemy from the time it crossed the stream. The Ninth Mississippi was now on the left, and there was a space of about 30 yards between its left and the Hamburg and Pittsburg road. As soon as I discovered the position of the enemy I ordered up Gage’s battery, which until now had not been engaged, and put it in position on the hill above the branch.

My line moved on across the orchard in most perfect order and splendid style, and to my great surprise not a shot was fired until we came within about 40 yards of the fence, then a heavy fire was opened on us in front, and at the same time a column was seen coning at double-quick down the Hamburg and Pittsburg road, with the evident intention of getting in our rear and cutting off the whole brigade. As soon as this column was fairly in sight, coming over the opposite hill, Gage’s battery opened a well directed fire on its head, and it was scattered in confusion, and at the same moment our infantry made a charge in front, and after a hard fight drove the enemy from his concealment, though we suffered heavily in killed and wounded.

After this fight our ammunition was exhausted, and, the wagons being some distance behind, we lost some time before it was replenished. As soon, however, as the ammunition could be distributed we moved on, with the right resting on the edge of the Tennessee River bottom, with the same orders as before.

When we had gone about a quarter of a mile we again encountered the enemy in a strong position of a hill with a deep ravine in he front, and a very stubborn fight ensued, in which we lost many gallant men, and them the Rev. M. L. Weller, chaplain of the Ninth Mississippi Regiment, a pure man and ardent patriot and a true Christian, and Capts. R. J. Armstrong and T. C. L Bostick, of the Fifth Mississippi Regiment, who fell gallantly leading on their respective companies.

Here again Gage’s battery did good service, though it was some time before it could be brought into position, owing to the rough nature of the ground and the want of roads, and I here take occasion to say that I cannot speak too highly of the energy, skill, and labor displayed by the men of this battery throughout the day in cutting their way through a thickly wooded country over ravines and hills almost impassable to ordinary wagons.”

Later, the report continues. “It was then about 4 o’clock in the evening, and after distributing ammunition, we received orders from General Bragg to drive the enemy into the river. My brigade, together with that of Brigadier-General Jackson, filed to the right and formed facing the river and endeavored to press forward to the water’s edge, but in attempting to mount the last ridge we were met be a fire from a whole line of batteries protected by infantry and assisted by shells from the gunboats. Our men struggled vainly to ascend the hill, which was very steep, making charge after charge without success, but continued to fight until night closed hostilities on both sides. During this engagement Gage’s battery was brought up to our assistance, but suffered so severely that it was soon compelled to retire.”

In his last comment about Gage’s battery, Chalmers goes on to say, “Gage’s battery did manful service on the 6th, but on the 7th was not in the fight.”